Exploding Flames 3: Starting Fire
by Punk19
Summary: Before Four Way Shot, before Arson, a couple in love goes through the trials of unplanned parenthood
1. Part 1: Fire Effect

Rolling over on his side of the bed, Six Shooter wrapped three of his six arms around my shoulders and pulled me in tight. Although I loved his gentle touch I pushed and pulled myself away. He rolled over onto his left side, as if the slight struggle had never happened. He had had a hard day and was beat, I was wide away, thinking deeply about the corralled horses behind Castle Green. There were four horses in the corral. The only stallion in the corral, a dark bay with a wide blaze and two white stockings, was pacing and whinnying crazily at the sky. The three mares, one of them was my own, were half sleeping. I could hear Madonna, my chestnut colored mare with a star and snip, snoring and whisping away the pesty flies from her back legs with her orange colored tail.

With one last whinny, which was carried by the wind into our room, I couldn't take it anymore, I swung my legs out of the bed and collected the blue jeans and blue button up shirt that I had worn earlier that day and tip toed silently out of the room into the hallway. I heard Six Shooter's snores grow silent until they disappeared. Pulling my long dark brown hair into a pony tail, I opened a door and walked outside. The smell of horses, the Earth and an upcoming storm filled my nostrils. Jogging towards the corral, I slipped and fell, scraping my knee in the dirt. I clinched my teeth, trapping the scream of pain inside. The stallion must have heard me, because I could see his ghostly shadowy self leaning against the corral gate.

"Hello big boy," I gently cooed to the horse. "it's okay, no need to be afraid."

The stallion must have understood because he moved away from the gate, allowing me inside with a halter and lead rope. I slipped the halter on the stallion's almost black head and connected the lead rope to the little loop underneath the halter. He followed me all but five steps to his stall, then a crack of thunder made him rise towards the heavens. I pulled him back down and gently rubbed the white blaze on his nose. My eyes and his became one, a few seconds later he walked into the stall without further fight. The other horses, a pretty red roan mare, her face and legs were red while rest of her was a body was red, almost pink, her mane and tail were red with a few pink and white hairs thrown in, and a chocolate colored mare with light mane and tail, a stripe running down her face, walked to their stalls almost on their own, Madonna though gave me the most trouble.

At first she wanted to play, she ran around the corral with her tail held high whinnying. I couldn't touch her, she was so fast. When she felt the halter on her neck she bolted and crashed into the corral side almost breaking it. I quickly discarded the halter and lead rope, this wasn't the first time that she had bolted at the touch of a halter. At the age of three, Madonna had been given to an abusive owner that had put on a tight halter that had almost caused her to lose an eye, the halter had become embedded in her flesh and had had to be surgically removed. I understood her fear and I understood her. Her rich brown eyes swung and she looked at me, she took a timid step towards me.

"It's okay Madonny," I said gently to her. "I'm your friend remember, I won't hurt you."

Tossing her head up, Madonna trotted to me and pushed her dished head into my chest. I kissed her nose and stood up, she followed me out of the corral and to her stall. There was a crack of thunder and it started raining, she flinched, her tail whisked back and forth, but she didn't leave my side. She walked into her stall when I pulled the door open and slowly layed herself down in the straw. I wished her a goodnight and then went back inside. By this time, I began to notice the pain in my kneecap.

Grabbing both a towel and some gauze, I disappeared into the bathroom. With one hand I dried my hair, with the other I dabbed a little alcohol onto my kneecap. It stung, I almost allowed the yelp of pain through my tightly shut lips. Blood had dripped down my leg and I could feel it in the boots that I had placed by the door earlier that night. I quickly removed both of the boots and placed them to the side, with one hand I held the gauze to my still bleeding kneecap while the other was searching for a bandage. My jeans had been ripped open, I could sew them up before anyone noticed or I could just cut the legs off and use the jeans as shorts.

My knee bandaged up, I stepped out of the bathroom into a still very dark hallway, since I didn't want to wake the others I had kept the lights off. I could hear the snores from the room beside my and Six Shooter's. Judy had pulled me from the beach one day and had pushed me into her car, a wide smile on her lips and a cell phone held tightly to her ear. We had driven from Long Beach to Pasadena, California in less than a few hours. Since Judy had had two cell phones at the time, I was allowed to use the extra. That was until I got the call from Six Shooter that had almost stopped my heart in excitement.

"Howdy Sugarplum." he had said.

"Si...Six Shooter?" I remember stammering.

"How ye be?" he had asked.

"I'm doing fine," I said. "I never knew you was allowed to use the phone."

"Yep, I shur can use to telyphone." Six Shooter had laughed. "how's bout ye an' Judy come over to our place an' stay fer awhile?"

"Are you serious?" I had screamed into the cellphone.

"Yep, I shur is." Six Shooter giggled.

Blade and Jester snored, not as much as Six Shooter though. This was my second day at Castle Green, and my first night sleeping at the beautiful hotel. Since this was my first night staying here I wasn't getting any sleep because of my excitement and his snoring. It did make me laugh though when he rolled over and pushed his head into my neck, tickling me with his lips. I have no idea what Judy, Blade and Jester did the frst hour we were at Castle Green, they disappeared. Me and Six Shooter walked a few trails, talking, and we had introduced Madonna into the corral of other horses. We had also gone horseback riding a few hours later. Madonna, as always, had bucked and bolted when she saw Six Shooter's mount, the dark bay stallion, fall behind. If I hadn't been in control, she would have rose high in the sky and I would have been dumped to the ground.

Stripping myself of the blood soaked jeans and the blue tank top, I deposited the jeans in the back of my suitcase, I slowly and carefully climbed back into bed. Six Shooter didn't move, he was fast asleep on his side snoring like a baby. I giggled a little then fell asleep, dreaming of the fast running horses in Montana and wanting to be one. I believe Six Shooter was dreaming the same, he rolled on top of me a few times. The night ended a little to early, at 5:00 am the alarm went off in my head. I climbed out of bed a little to fast, almost waking Six Shooter, and I stubbed my toe on my suitcase which was lying on the floor. I collected a clean red button up shirt with black tassels and white beads hanging from the neck and a fresh pair of blue jeans, which were ripped at the knees.


	2. Chapter 2

"Madonna, are you awake?" I asked the chestnut mare. There was a rustling of straw and then Madonna pushed her dished head through the door window and into my chest almost pushing me off of my feet. I brought my hand up her nose to her ears and scratched them. She sighed and shook her head until her white and orange mane fell into her eyes. I quickly pulled the strands of hair from her eyes and smoothed it back over her neck. She pawed at the stall door, asking to be let out. I grabbed a halter, but remembering what had happened the night before I put it away and opened the door. She trotted out a yard then stopped when she heard my voice.

Madonna waited until she felt my hand trailing her back to move forward, there was a patch of grass that she had set her eyes on the day before and she was hungry. Once there she forgot everything and everyone around her. Her tail swished and caught me a few times. Her orange coat, naturally groomed and still smelling of straw, twitched a few times when a squirrel walked by with nuts in its mouth. I heard the clanging of pots and pans behind me and turned around, Judy was by the sink, and she was gesturing for me to hurry up for breakfast. I quickly silenced her and declined breakfast, shrugging her shoulders, she went back to work. Madonna finished munching on the grass then trotted off to the corral, I quickly opened the gate and she cantered in with her head and tail held high.

"You sure you want nothing to eat?" Judy asked.

"I'm perfectly sure," I replied. "I never eat breakfast anyways."

"Ye shud," Six Shooter called.

Six Shooter walked out of the bathroom, he was holding The New Encyclopedia of the Horse in the two middle hands and tying his kerchief behind his neck with the two top two hands. His eyes met mine for only a second before they were looking out the door. Carrying the book in his hands, he opened the door with his shoulders and went outside. Although I wasn't hungry, I grabbed a banana and left the kitchen. Madonna had been fed and was happily roaming in the corral that she had been in the night before. Sitting in the living room with needle and thread in hand was Leech Woman. Leech Woman was wearing her usual purple dress with the pink draping and purple shoes. Her long black beautiful hair was flowing over her shoulders and her beautiful dark brown eyes sparkled with life. Stopping for only a few seconds, I waved a quick hello.

Also sitting in the room, the television was on and one of the guys were playing a game, was Tunneler, Pinhead and Jester. Tunneler was sitting by himself reading a book on wars, he was wearing a suit of green and black with black shoes. He looked up to wave a quick hello then went back to reading. Pinhead, wearing an orange t-shirt and black pants and shoes, was playing Guitar Hero. He paused the game to say hello. Jester was sitting alone, his eyes barely open. He was wearing a very tight pair of jeans and a black and red shirt with a yellow smile face on the front. He waved sleepily, I waved back then continued on my way.

A few of the guys were still sleeping, I could here Torch and Blade snoring lightly in two of the ten rooms. Since Judy and I were close friends with everyone, we had been allowed to stay for as long as we wanted and didn't have to pay a single penny. Judy had brought just a small duffel bag and a suitcase and had emptied them already. Her clothes and other necessities had already been put up. As for me, I hadn't even started unpacking my things. I walked into Six Shooter's room, a fine room decorated with horse posters, models and other horse things like saddles, bridles and horse blankets, and walked directly to the open suitcase on the floor.

The mahogany dresser was half full of jeans and multi colored button up shirts and a few black and brown vests. There was also another pair of boots and some extra belts in case the ones Six Shooter wore now got a little stretched. The lower drawers were empty, so I emptied my button up shirt, t-shirts and jeans into them. I had a duffel bag with me as well, but it wasn't full of make-up or other female things. Instead I had a few books on animals, Egyptian life and Cryptozoology and two stuffed horses. Hopscotch, a black and white pinto mare, as I called and saw her, had a multi colored mane and tail that I combed daily. I did the same with Margarine, a blood bay mare, that had a flowing black mane and tail. Her eyes were brown and warm, Hopscotch's eyes were black and beautiful. Although I didn't want to, I picked uo the telephone and dialed my fathers number. He didn't answer so I dialed again and waited. Half an hour later he finally picked up.

"Whaaaaaaat?!" my father yelled into the phone. "I'm fucking sleeping who the hell is this?"

"It's me," I said. "Angela."

"Angela...Angela?" my father said a few times. "I don't know anyone by the name of Angela sorry."

"It's your second oldest daughter." I sighed.

"I only have one daughter," my father said. "sorry you have the wrong person. I'm going back to sleep."

"Dad!"

There was a time when my father and I agreed, the last few years he had changed. I had a younger sister and he treated her as a princess, buying her things, giving her money and spending more time on her. Besides our problems, I still felt that I loved him. Sighing loudly, I placed the phone down on its cradle and walked out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Blade and Decapitron woke up an hour later, both walked into the living room slowly, rubbing their eyes and yawning. Elsa moved slightly and Decapitron sat beside her. He was wearing a solid black leather jacket, leather pants and a black shirt. He smiled when I walked past, I waved hello quickly. Blade sat himself beside Jester who was still trying to wake up. Blade was wearing a pair of black jeans with torn knees and black shoes, his black t-shirt was tucked in nicely, he wasn't wearing his hat, his long pure white hair dangled past his shoulders. He nodded a hello then looked out the window. Judy had since finished breakfast, she was outside watching the horses in the corral. I quickly joined her.

"He took Banjo out," Judy said. "he said something about a fence needing to be attended to."

"Where's Madonna?" I asked. Madonna was no where in sight, the two mares were munching hay and grain, but my chestnut mare was missing. I scanned the area for her, she was no where to be seen.

"He put her in the stall," Judy said. "had to chase her around and rope her to get her into the stall."

"Good old Madonna," I laughed. "always ready and willing to play."

"Six Shooter was plenty ticked off by her antics," Judy relayed. "but it was funny nonetheless to watch him chase a horse."

Madonna's head was sticking out the stall door, her rich eyes found mine and she pawed the door. I jogged up and quickly opened the door, she trotted out and around me. Her tail smacked up against my face and she pushed her head into my chest, asking for me to join in her fun. I climbed a fence and waited for her, she walked over and I mounted her. She reared up for a few seconds then cantered away. Her mane of orange hair tangled up in my brown hair when I pressed my head up against her neck, her nose scooped at the air. I gave her a slight nudge with my toe and she galloped into a bed of yellow flowers. I pushed myself from her neck and swiped the tears from my eyes. Madonna's tail whipped the air behind us like a cloak. Madonna and I returned a few minutes later, dripping in sweat but happy as can be. Six Shooter was dismounting Banjo, when he saw me he waved hello, I returned it with by blowing him a kiss which he caught.

"That horse," Six Shooter mumbled. "likes to play a lot Sugarplum."

"Yeah, she's my baby." I said.

"Whud ye like some help to a-dismount darlin'?" Six Shooter asked.

"No thank you," I replied quickly. "I think I'll sit here for awhile."

"She's a-breathing hard darlin'," Six Shooter said. "I think ye shud git off."

"Alright Mr. Rhinestone Cowboy." I said. I quickly dismounted and walked off towards Madonna's stall, Madonna followed as my shadow. From the corner of my eye, I saw Six Shooter shaking his head and snickering a little to himself. He knew I was only teasing, but still, I did need to apologize because I had used a slightly elevated tone of voice, an irritated and frustrated voice.

Madonna shoved her head up against my chest almost throwing me from my feet when I started the nozzle for the water trough. When it was half full, she forgot all about me and drank. I patted her back, grabbed a brush and started cleaning her mud caked coat. She whisked her tail at me when I touched the ticklish areas under the belly and she whinnied when I scratched her behind her ears. Fifteen minutes later, her coat shone healthy as can be in the sun. I was more careful with her feet, packing them with red mud to insure that they wouldn't crack, then I combed her mane and tail.

"Six Shooter," I said, he had walked by just a few seconds ago leading Banjo on a lead rope to his stall.

"Yes Sugarplum." he said, he didn't take his eyes from Banjo but he did stop.

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

"Fer whut darlin'?" Six Shooter asked, he cocked his head to the side.

"For calling you Mr. Rhinestone Cowboy." I said. "Didn't mean to say it so rough."

"Ah now darlin'," he giggled. "I wuzn't offended or hurt by yer words."

"You sure?" I asked.

"I shur is." he said. "luv ya Sugarplum."

"Love ya to." I replied gently.

Six Shooter turned and walked away, Banjo followed at a slow pace and dragged his hooves. I could tell the stallion wanted some rest. Madonna must have read my mind, that I was thinking about another horse, because she lifted her head out of the water trough and barreled me over with her muzzle into the mud. I laughed a little then I got back up on my legs. Madonna pushed me to the side, almost making me fall into the trough, with a thrust of her head, she pushed me into the trough. Not wanting to make a lot of noise, I climbed from the trough and led Madonna into her stall and left her with some grain and hay. I then walked into the kitchen.

"What the fuck happened to you?" Judy gasped. "Did you and Six Shooter get into one of those water fights?"

"No, Madonna playfully pushed me into some mud," I said. "then she pushed me into the trough."

"That's whut I wuz a-tryin' to tell ye darlin'," Six Shooter said. "that thar horse a-plays too much."

"She loves me," I defended Madonna. "it's all out of love."

"Yer drippin' wet darlin'," Six Shooter said. "I think ye shud take a shower."

"Screw that," Judy laughed. "take a bath."

"I've already had a bath," I said. "I'll gladly take a shower though."

"Maybe I be a-joinin' ye." Six Shooter pondered.

"Um, Six Shooter," I said. "way to early."

"Ye shur?" Six Shooter asked.

"I'm very much sure," I said. "maybe some other day though." I left him a wink then walked out and into the bathroom where I locked the door so that the cowboy couldn't slip in and join me. Slowly and carefully, I slipped my jeans and shirt off, followed by my still wet undergarments and I placed my shoes over by the door. I turned the water to luke warm then climbed in, I didn't hear the doorknob move a little outside.

Fifteen minutes later I climbed out of the shower and grabbed a towel, hearing a slight giggle I turned to the left. There was Six Shooter, I had forgotten to cover the bathroom window that looked outside. Gasping and screaming at once, I quickly closed the window, pulled the curtain over it and covered myself. I then ran out of the bathroom, running pell mell for Six Shooter's room. I slammed the door shut, locked and double checked the door, made sure the windows were covered and shut then got dressed. I put on a torn pair of jeans with red splashes of paint on the legs and a white t-shirt. I was putting on my boots when I heard a scraping sound outside the window nearest me. I pulled the curtain to the side and saw that Six Shooter was banging one of his six Colt. 45's against the glass in the window, not able to be mad at him for long, I opened the window and he climbed through.

"Ye locked me out darlin'." Six Shooter chuckled.

"I wasn't prepared Tex," I said. "you caught me by surprise."

"I can see that darlin'." Six Shooter said.

"Next time," I said. "knock."

"I did darlin'." Six Shooter sighed.

Six Shooter had turned his back on me, a very bad idea, so I quickly wrapped my arms around him and picked him up. I tickled his ribs a little and kissed his cheek. He giggled and brushed my still wet hair back out of my face. He kissed my forehead, his higher two hands brushed up against the sides of my breasts and his middle and lower hands wrapped themselves around me, hugging me tightly against him, locking my body with his. I took one of my hands and quickly snatched his hat from his head, I placed it on the head stand. His kissing grew more deeper, more passionate, both of his two higher hand were pushing my hair from my face when it fell into my eyes. Slowly taking a seat on the bed, I released the tight hold I had on Six Shooter, allowing him more space to roam and venture. He and I pressed our lips together for three minutes, his eyes and mine came together and we embraced tightly again, I didn't want to let him go and he knew it.

"What do you think they are doing in there?" Judy asked.

"Not sure," Leech Woman replied. "not really sure if I want to know either."

"No noise," Judy said in a whisper. "no nothing."

"Maybe they are just talking." Pinhead said.

"For two and a half hours?" Judy exclaimed. "I highly doubt it."

Six Shooter and I walked from the room half dressed, he was still buttoning his shirt with four of his six hands and tying his kerchief behind his neck with the other two hands, I was still trying to pull my shirt over my head, it was stuck on my pony tail. We hadn't done anything but admire ourselves, his body was as awesomely handsome as he was entirely. Especially his strong shoulders that tapered down to a smooth yet strong chest and slender legs. His face was what I had looked at the most, I couldn't take my eyes from that gorgeous face of his that housed such a wide evil smile and beautiful light brown eyes.

"Did you two have fun?" Judy sang.

"Nah we wuz jus' admirin' ourselves is all Judy." Six Shooter said.

"Yeah right," Judy snickered. "I bet you did more than that."

"No Judy, that what we did," I said.

"I'm positive you did more." Judy pressed on.

"And I am sure you are negative about what we did and what we didn't do." I snapped.

"Sugarplum," Six Shooter hissed. "let it go darlin'."

"Yes Tex." I said, I was amazed, never before had I obeyed a man and yet I had just said that I'd stop fighting with Judy. Judy was equally surprised, she had heard that I never obeyed men, but instead they obeyed me. She could tell that I was fighting inside to keep a positive attitude. Leech Woman and Pinhead were now off in the other room, both were holding their ears up to the wall, trying to hear if a fight was about to begin. The room grew very quiet, very still, Judy, Six Shooter and I could feel the tense energy all around us. Finally not being able to help myself anymore, I stormed out of the room and out into the yard, running pell mell for Madonna who was whinnying for me.


	4. Chapter 4

Although I didn't know it at the time, there was another in her stall besides me. Mephisto popped out of the hay below Madonna's tail, his sparkly black and red toga shined in the sun, one of his red horns was slightly bent, as if he had been thrown. I picked him up and quickly sat him on the stall door, Madonna swung her head threateningly towards him, I quickly touched her nose and she flashed her teeth. I wasn't fast enough, she bit my arm then kicked her hind leg out, they crashed against the back of the stall. Rearing up, she lunged at Mephisto. I didn't know what was going on, and I didn't care, I pushed Mephisto from the stall door, I followed soon after by jumping out the door and latching it behind me.

"I'm sorry, she does that sometimes." I apologized for Madonna.

"She pushed me from the stall door when I said hello," Mephisto said. "almost stepped on me too."

"Madonna is part Mustang," I explained. "she taps into her wild nature at times."

"I saw that," Mephisto said. "I also see the blood on your arm."

I looked down, my right arm was fine while my left arm was torn to pieces. Madonna had torn a hole in my arm and it was bleeding bad. Although I didn't want to do it, I ripped my shirt off of my body and wrapped my arm in it. Mephisto patted my kneecap, the one that I had scraped the night before, then he escorted me inside. No one was in the kitchen, so I quickly walked to a chair, I was beginning to get woozy. It wasn't long before Six Shooter felt that I was back inside, he walked into the kitchen but stopped dead in his tracks. My shirt was now a dark red instead of green and it was already dripping on the floor.

"Whut happened?" Six Shooter yelled. "Whut done happened to mah lil' lady?"

"Madonna lunged and took a bite from me," I sighed. "it's happened before."

"Angel!" Six Shooter yelled. "Meph, quick, git me the kit."

"Tex!" I exclaimed. "Come on, it's just a scratch."

Six Shooter quickly strode forward and started unwrapping the shirt from my arm, I nudged him away a few times but he continued. When the shirt was off, he turned away in anger. I could tell he was pissed, his shoulders were rising up and down, his hands were in fists and I could feel the energy coming from him, he was also huffing and puffing. When he turned around, I saw that he wasn't angry at me, he was angry at Madonna. As quickly as I could, I collected my strength and prepared myself to defend my horse.

"It ain't no scratch darlin'." Six Shooter said, he forced the words out gently instead of meanly.

"Okay, I know it isn't a scratch," I said. "Madonna was just tapping into her wild nature is all."

"That hoss a-hurt ye darlin'," Six Shooter forcibly said. "I want ye to stay away from her."

"Excuse me?" I screamed. "I am not and will not ever stay away from her."

"Ye'll stay away from her," Six Shooter said. "or I will git her removed from here."

My temper soared, I could hear Madonna outside banging the sides of her stall, she wanted out, she wanted to run around and be a horse and Six Shooter had told me that I needed to stay away from her. Mephisto ran up with the first aid kit, Six Shooter quickly took out the antiseptic and cleaned my wound extra good. He was applying the bandage when I snapped, Madonna was rearing up in her stall, I could hear the wood breaking from her hooves banging up against the door. I bolted up and ran out the door, Six Shooter followed quickly at my heels, I heard him calling out my name and to not even think about it.

Madonna stuck her head outside the stall door and reared up again, her front legs beat at the air, trying to jump out. I opened the stall and she raced out, I grabbed ahold of her mane and swung up onto her back. She stopped, but for only a few seconds, then she bolted up and away. I glanced behind me and saw Six Shooter, he was mounting Banjo, a rope in his hand and a determined look in his eyes and on his face. Turning back around, I pushed Madonna on, eagerly awaiting for her to begin bucking and rearing. She ran right towards the corral, Mephisto had raced out with Six Shooter and he was closest to it. He swung the door open and Madonna raced in. She kicked her hind legs, trying to unseat me, I stayed on her back. Rearing up, Madonna fell with me on her back. Six Shooter threw the rop just in time, it settled around my shoulders. With a tug, he pulled me from her back and into a puddle of mud. A gust of wind left my lungs, and I spat up blood. Madonna had since gathered her feet, she was trotting around the corral with her ears layed back against her head and her mouth open, her eyes were rolling. With another tug of the rope, Six Shooter pulled me from the corral, I could tell he was pissed.

"Ye could have been hurt darlin'." Six-Shooter screamed.

"I knew what I was doing." I said calmly. "She wanted to be free, I let her be free."

"I s'pose ye thot that she wuz gonna walk on her hind legs to darlin'," Six Shooter retorted. "come on darlin'."

"No, you come on, I know what Madonna likes and doesn't like," I yelled. "you don't."

"Don't ye be a-talkin' like that to me," Six Shooter yelled. "now git!"

Six Shooter was trying to keep his cool the entire time, about ten minutes, he was re bandaging my arm, but I could tell he was about to lose it. I quickly shrugged my shoulders then walked out of the kitchen, at first I wanted to go outside but I heard Six Shooter clearing his throat loudly, so I walked to our bedroom. This time, I slammed the door shut and locked it, making my point clear that I wanted to be alone. I curled up on the bed that still smelled of fresh grass, hay and horses and went to sleep.

When I woke up a few hours later I saw that the door was open and that Torch was sitting at the foot of the bed. Torch was a fine friend and brother, he wore a tan jacket, pants, black combat boots and a dark gray button up shirt. His face, beautiful to look at and with light up red eyes, stared at me with such intense nature that I became paralyzed. His flamethrower was lowered, but his hand was sitting in his lap. It looked like he had been waiting for me to wake up for a few minutes and had grown impatient.

"I'm not sure what you did," Torch said slowly. "but you sure as hell made Tex pissed earlier."

"How's Madonna?" I asked, totally ignoring what he had said.

"Tex moved her to her stall," Torch hissed. "she's fine for now."

"I would like to see her," I said.

"I wouldn't push it," Torch said. "Tex is in the kitchen, waiting and guarding the door."

"I'll slip out the window then." I said, almost threateningly.

"I wouldn't do that either," Torch said. "you'll get him angry again."

"I want to see Madonna," I exclaimed. "no one is going to stop me."

Although it was dark, the sun had gone down and it was eerily quiet inside, I could tell Torch was trying to help and comfort me. He walked towards me and gave me a hug, then he left without another word. I didn't want to do it, but I followed at his heels. I followed him into the kitchen where I saw the shadow of Six Shooter sitting on a chair infront of the door, his eyes turned towards us, making me want to turn around and run back into our room. Torch tapped my leg then left, not wanting to stay and listen to what I and Six Shooter had to say. I thanked him by patting his shoulder, lightly and fast, then I walked slowly towards Six Shooter with my eyes down.

"Got rest a-plenty Sugarplum?" Six Shooter asked.

"Yes," I said. "look, um, what all I said today and all..."

"Ah dontcha be thinking 'bout it none now," Six Shooter sighed. "I wuz jus' tryin' to protect ye an' all."

"I know," I sighed. "and I'm sorry."

"Fer whut darlin'?" Six Shooter asked. "Fer lovin' Madonny? Darlin', I know ye luv her an' all."

"A lot of what I said," I explained. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Ye didn't Sugarplum," Six Shooter said.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I mean, it sounded like I did."

"Well darlin'," Six Shooter said, he cleared his throat a few times. "I dunno whut to say 'cept that ye surprised me is all."

Six Shooter could be so comforting and understanding at times, I couldn't help myself but smile and hug him close to me. He encircled four of his six arms around me, holding me close, while the other two, the extreme lower two arms, dangled sleepily at his sides. I picked him up, he was already snoring, and carried him into his and my room. He hadn't liked it the first time when I had attempted to undress him for bed, this time he was so tired he could hardly lift his hands to unbutton his shirt. I slowly and carefully removed his vest and placed it with the two holsters that housed four of his six Colt .45's on the hat and coat rack beside the dresser. I removed his shirt and boots next, being careful to not get dirt on the white polyester button shirt. I placed the shirt in the hamper and I sat the boots under the bed. I took his belt off, but left his pants on. I didn't want him to become uncomfortable. I tucked him into bed alongside me then fell asleep.

"It's 'bout time ye woke up." Six Shooter yawned.

Stretching my arms out, and noticing that I had nothing on except my undergarments, I quickly turned to Six Shooter. He nodded his head then flopped down on his side. Something told me to lift up the blankets, so I did, what I saw was amazing. Six Shooter was wearing nothing, he didn't wear underwear under his blue jeans, his stretched sunburned body shined and glistened in the light that came from the lamp on the table. I felt his hand creeping up my arm, so I quickly let the blanket go. Six Shooter's brown eyes, burned brightly by the many hours out in the sun, shined greatly. I couldn't help myself, I touched his chin.

"You have something in mind don't you?" I asked.

"Shur do darlin'," Six Shooter said.

"What is it?" I asked. "Tell me."

"I wuz thinkin'," he said, he rubbed his chin between words. "maybe we can git a leetle bit romantic tonight."

"Naughty cowboy," I teased. "you don't think it's to early do you?"

"Now darlin'," he snapped. "We's been together fer eight months and ye have been sleepin' in mah bed fer two months."

"I know," I sighed. "I know."

"Ye skeered darlin'?" he asked. "Ye have nothin' to fear Sugarplum."

"I know," I repeated.

I wanted to believe Six Shooter, I really did, but I was scared that we were going to fast. Not knowing it, I pulled the sheet from over me and stepped from the bed, Six Shooter's arm, which had been around my shoulders the entire time, trailed down my back until it fell to the mattress. I walked to the window and looked out, I saw his reflection sitting up on the bed, waiting for me to return to bed. I wrapped my arms around my shoulders, I had gotten a cold chill up my arms and I was cold, finally making up my mind I returned to bed. Six Shooter kissed my cheek then turned off the bed table lamp.

"I understand darlin'," he said reassuringly.

The first thing I noticed that morning was that Six Shooter was still sleeping, at my side, he had rolled over and wrapped two of his six hands around me, this time I didn't pull away. He was snoring a little, his lips brushed up against my neck, tickling me, I couldn't help myself, I giggled loudly. Turning slightly, I saw the clock on the wall, it said it was ten minutes before four. I heard thunder, another storm was here, and it was sounding its trumpet. The lightning lit the room for a few minutes, Six Shooter's snores grew less noisy, until they were no more. His arms tightened around me, comfortingly and reassuringly.

"Its a-fine darlin'," he said. "jus' a storm is all."

"You put the horses in their stalls right?" I asked fearfully.

"Yep, shur did darlin'," he said. "even yer hoss Madonny."

I turned around, the lightning lit the room for only a few seconds, Six Shooter's eyes shined with light and love, finally not being able to control myself, I slipped my hand over his shoulder. Smiling widely, he pressed his lips against mine and we kissed. I trailed my hand down his waist, stopping at his legs, he felt my hesitation and patted my shoulder, encouraging me to continue. I touched him, felt him, he moaned. Pulling me under himself, Six Shooter's kisses grew more and more passionate. I pulled my legs up, my hands lost Six Shooter's shoulders and found the bedsheets. Six Shooter knew I wasn't ready, he kissed me a few times on my neck then trailed his tongue down to my breasts.

"Six Shooter," I said. "wait."

Six Shooter trailed one of his hands between my legs, I felt that he was ready. Taking a big gulp of air, I nodded my head and moaned. He giggled a little then wrapped his tongue around one of my nipples, suckling it greedily. I moaned again, enjoying his touch, enjoying his gentleness. Five minutes later he was trailing his tongue down my stomach to between my legs, I gasped and shot upwards.


	5. Chapter 5

"You're eating and puking a lot lately." Judy said.

"Yeah, I know." I said. "I think I may be getting sick."

"When was the last time you and Six Shooter had intercourse again?" Judy asked.

"None of your damn business Judith." I snarled.

"I see," Judy said, she nodded her head slightly. "have you considered taking the test?"

"What test?" I asked.

"This test," Judy replied. She slid a box, it was blue and white with the letters Pregnancy Test printed on both sides, something inside of me snickered, no way could I get pregnant, there were many ways that I couldn't get pregnant, one being that one of my doctors said I was infertile. Taking the box in my hands, I stood up and walked to the bathroom and closed the door extra carefully behind me. Sighing, I sat down on the toilet.

"Whar's Angel?" Six Shooter asked.

"She..."Judy stammered. "she's in the bathroom."

"Oh, well tell her that I's lookin' fer her." Six Shooter said.

"Will do," Judy sighed deeply.

Five minutes passed, then six, I waited a full ten minutes before I checked the tube that housed the results. I told myself that red meant that I wasn't pregnant, and that it would be that color instead of blue. My lower lip and chin was trembling, I was shaking. It had been a month since I and Six Shooter had had intercourse, and I had missed my period. Holding my breath, I pulled the cap off and looked at the window. Instead of the color red, the color I wanted to see, I saw the color blue. A scream left my lips and I leaped to my feet, I was pregnant, with Six Shooter's child.

"Judy," I screamed. "Judy, I'm..."

Judy raced into the bathroom and pushed her hand against my mouth, silencing me. My glasses, I didn't wear glasses all the time, sometimes I wore contacts, fell off and crashed to the floor. I was crying, excited and scared at the same time. Judy, dressed in a green shirt and blue jeans, wrapped me in her arms and held me close. She had given birth to a son 19 years ago, his name was Patrick, and she knew what to do. Patting me several times on the back, she backed away.

"It's alright," Judy reassured me. "I suspected that you were pregnant."

"What about Six Shooter?" I asked as I wiped my teary face with a tissue.

"We need to consult Elsa," Judy said. "she'll know what to do."

"What about Six Shooter?" I asked again.

Leech Woman was sitting out on the lawn, she was reading a book. When she saw me and Judy walk out of the apartment, she put the book away and sat up straight. She knew that something was wrong, because I was walking with my head down and without my glasses. Taking a big gulp of air, I sat down in the chair oposite her, Judy sat beside me and nodded her head slowly towards me, Leech Woman quickly pushed the book that she had been reading, I noticed it was a book on dresses.

"What seems to be the problem?" Leech Woman asked.

"Elsa," Judy said. "I asked Angela to take a pregnancy test a few minutes ago..." Judy trailed off and looked over at me.

"Leech Woman," I spoke up. "I'm pregnant."

Leech Woman, she had been looking at me kindly for such a long time, her face had been kind and understanding, after I had finished saying what I had said her eyes flew open and her mouth opened a little, in shock I guessed. She used a little radio at times when she needed to get in contact with a member of the family, it was beside her on the table. She picked it up slowly and pushed the button. She spoke a few words that I couldn't hear, my ears had stopped working.

A few minutes passed before I looked up, Leech Woman was standing up and walking around the chair, something told me to turn around, when I did I saw Decapitron and Blade, Six Shooter was a few steps in front of them. When they got to where we were, they stopped, Six Shooter scooted beside me and wrapped one of his hands around mine.

"The reason why I asked for you three was because Angela here has something to say," Leech Woman said, her voice seemed clouded with concern. "something important."

"Whut is it?" Six Shooter asked.

My throat was extremely dry, I was surprised I was able to clear it, swallowing a few times I slowly, and shakily, turned towards Six Shooter. The first thing that came to my mind was that he'd back up real fast and claim that the baby wasn't his. When I was a teen my sister had made me watch programs on pregnancies, she had forced me to watch them for years until I moved out. I knew there were some people out there who did the deed and when something came up, an unplanned pregnancy, they ran. Blinking my eyes and clearing my throat loudly, I opened my mouth.

"I'm pregnant." I said to the cowboy beside me.

I think Blade's surprise was greater than Six Shooter's, his spikes shot out and his mouth dropped. If it would have had a long spring or wouldn't have had one at all it probably would have dropped to the ground. Decapitron shook his head a bit, I guessed he was still running what I had said through his head. Six Shooter, on the other hand, was still sitting beside me, something told me, if he had had the ability to blink he'd be doing it now.

"Yer..." he said after five minutes of silence. "yer in child?"

"It's what it said on the test," I replied. "I mean, yes."

It was still hard to grasp that the test had read positive, that it had said I was pregnant. The word doctor ran through my mind for a minute, I had a pretty good idea of what all I was in store for. A lot of vitamins, no drinking and very little horse riding. The latter tore me up, I loved horses, at times I couldn't keep myself from them, how was I going to do that in the final trimester of my pregnancy without going crazy?

"How long is my pregnancy gonna run?" I asked.

"We'll get there when we get there," Leech Woman spoke up. "first thing is the child's health."

The child's health, that ran through my head a few times. A bunch of questions sprang up in my mind, why had she said that, was my baby healthy, was my baby going to be born healthy, was there any medical problems involved with him. It all started in on my like crazy, I had been diagnosed with ADHD as a kid, had grown out of it as a teen and had just recently been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, all through this I had also been diagnosed as clinically depressed. Would my baby have any of that? Would he or she have any mental problems or would he or she be born totally and mentally healthy.

"What's wrong with my baby?" I asked, scared.

"At this time I don't know," Leech Woman said. "my first concern is that the baby is a hybrid and we don't know exactly what we're dealing with."

"You think I should go to a doctor?" I asked, half thinking. "I mean, to check up on the baby's progress and growth and health?"

"I think that is the right thing to do," Leech Woman said, smiling. "I'm not sure how long your pregnancy will run, so better safe than sorry."

"I'll schedule an appointment as soon as I get inside." I said quickly, starting to get excited.

Six Shooter looked like he had seen a ghost, all of the color in his face had flushed away and the hand that he had wrapped around mine was getting a bit tight. With a quick shake, I pulled my hand from his. For some reason, he didn't well, he looked sick to his stomach. Half sighing to myself, with a little hidden laugh inside, I bent over and kissed his cheek. I just told myself that he was thinking the same as I was, that he had the same thoughts running in his head that I had. Little did I know, that the first few months of my pregnancy, I'd be the one of the few to really give a damn.


	6. Chapter 6

"Mom," Amanda sighed into her cell phone." remember when I mentioned that I was taking Angela to the doctor to see if she was sick."

"Yes, what's wrong with her?" Amanda's mother asked.

"Well," Amanda laughed a little. "Angela's not sick..."

"She's not sick?" Amanda's mother repeated. "Then what's wrong with her?"

Amanda and I had just got back from the doctor's office, after I had found out that I was pregnant I had phoned her and I had asked her to take me to see a doctor, I might have lied a bit and told her that instead of me going in to check the health of the baby that I was sick. The woman beside me was a week older than me, her blonde hair reached past her shoulders and her brown eyes slid from side to side, her cell phone was pressed up against her ear, I could see her mouth moving but my ears had cut all sound out. The only thing I was concentrating on was the baby in my belly.

"Well according to the doctor she is almost two months along in her pregnancy." Amanda said.

"Pregnancy?" Amanda's mother repeated. "Our leader is pregnant?"

When I had been called back to the room I had been very nervous, I had nearly walked out of the office a few times, there were a few reasons why I had made the appointment, the health of the baby was one of them and the other was because Six Shooter had said that I could not get pregnant and that I wasn't pregnant, the doctor had confirmed the pregnancy at one month and four weeks, I had asked him to keep all information about the gender of the baby a secret.

"Yes, she is pregnant," Amanda sighed. "surprised even me."

"So is it a boy or a girl?" Amanda's mother asked.

"I think she wants to keep the gender a secret mom." Amanda said.

"Tell her I said good luck." Amanda's mother laughed. "She's going to need all she can get."

Six Shooter had acted a little paranoid after he had found out that I was pregnant, for the first few hours he had accepted it, when we had gone to bed he had turned around and had said that it was impossible for me to be pregnant. He had given me a full lecture on hybrid baby animals, at one time I had rolled over and told him to shut up. When I had gone to the doctor I had asked him to take a sonogram picture of the baby so that Six Shooter could see it, the doctor had been very nice and had given me a copy of the sonogram, just in case it was needed. Turning my head to the side I looked out the window, it was raining outside, the drops of rain slid down the window, for some reason I felt tired.

"My mom says good luck." Amanda said.

"Tell Michelle I said thank you." I replied, not taking my eyes off of the rain drops sliding down the window.

Amanda told her mother what I had said and then hung up the phone, I had brought a brown bag with me, inside of it was the tape that had recorded my baby and the small picture of him floating lifelessly in the womb. For some reason I kept referring to the baby as if it was a male, I didn't know why but I always did. Smiling, I placed my hand on my stomach and gently rubbed it in a circular motion. Amanda reached down and turned on the radio, the station that she had it on wasn't one of my favorites, I didn't feel like complaining about the music that was playing so I just shut it off in my mind.

"Once you get to your new home I bet the first thing you're going to do is shove the photo of your baby in Six Shooter's face." Amanda laughed.

"Something like that." I said.

"I bet he's going to change his mind real quick." Amanda snickered.

What my cousin had said was far from what happened, when she pulled up to the ranch's front I got out of the blue van, when she pulled away I felt a knot in my gut. The ranch house wasn't small by any means, it housed all of the puppets plus three caretakers and me and my friend Judy. The walls of the house were white, the roof was brown, on the side of the house was a flower fence, it was connected to the roof's edge. Taking a deep breath in, I pushed the key into the keyhole and turned it.

"She's home!"

Judy rushed forward and grabbed me in a huge hug, I struggled against it for a few seconds. When she pulled away I saw that she had a huge smile on her face, she was wearing bright red lipstick and there was blue make-up over her eyes, there was some mascara on her eyebrows, she was wearing a blue open topped shirt with white and darker blue beads on the front, blue jeans and a heart necklace with topaz and peridot jewels.

"So how did it go?" Judy asked.

"Pretty good," I replied. "I got a picture to show Six Shooter and a sonogram recording."

"Can we all see that?"

The woman that had spoken was the woman that had told me that my baby's health might be in jeopardy a few hours after I had told her and the others that I was pregnant was his aunt. She had her hair up in a high fashion, the sides were braided up and tied tightly to the bun. She was wearing a purple dress with black slacks, her shoes were purple, around her neck was a purple and black strap. I nodded my head and took out the picture from my bag.

"You and Judy are the first to see him." I said.

Judy and Leech Woman held the edges of the picture together, it scared me a little at first because I thought they were going to rip it to pieces. Leech Woman nodded her head and cleared her throat once, Judy's smile slimmed down until it became invisible. When I had seen the picture I had asked the doctor if what was in it was the baby, in the center of the picture was a fuzzy blob, nothing more, I couldn't even detect hands or feet. After a few minutes of looking at the picture the women handed it back to me.

"Not much to see," Leech Woman said. "did the doctor confirm that you were pregnant?"

"I asked him three times and he replied three times that I was." I replied. "Hell, before I went I took another pregnancy test and it even said I was pregnant."

"No offense," Judy sighed. "I really don't see anything in that picture but a fuzzy blob."

"How long did he say you was pregnant?" Leech Woman asked.

"A month and four weeks." I said. "If I may this baby is a puppet human hybrid and may be smaller than normal purebred babies."

"That is true." Leech Woman said. "When are you going in for a re-exam?"

I hadn't planned on scheduling a re-exam, for real I was hoping I could go without any exams for the whole pregnancy. Sighing loudly I took out a planning book and wrote in December 5th, that would be two months from now. When I looked up I saw that Six Shooter was walking towards me, smiling widely, I reached in my bag and pulled out the tape.

"You said I wasn't pregnant a few days ago," I said to him slowly. "here is the evidence that I am."

Six Shooter rolled his eyes and pulled the tape from my fingers, when he turned around he walked towards the living room where the tv was. Leech Woman and Judy followed. I had already seen what was on the tape, it was a small month and four week baby floating in fluid, I had placed the picture inside the planning book, the edge of it stuck out from the papers inside the flaps, very gently and carefully I pulled it out. Placing both the book and the bag to the side, I walked into the living room, Six Shooter was pulling the tape of the sonogram out of the VCR.

"I a-didn't see nuthin'." he said.

If I would have had the bag in my hands at that very moment after he had said that he would have had to get his jaw replaced. I was starting to get pissed. After two pregnancy tests and a doctor confirmation, Six Shooter was still saying that I wasn't pregnant. Sighing deeply I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, I was hungry. Sitting on the shelf was a box of pizza that had half of the pizza still inside, Judy and I hadn't felt like eating the meatloaf that had been offered that day and had ordered a medium pizza, half of it cheese and the other pepperoni, I had eaten two slices then had rushed off to the bathroom, sick as a dog.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I was holding a piece of pepperoni when he tapped me on my back, I didn't need to turn around to find out who it was, I knew it was Torch, one of the uncles of my baby. Pulling a big slice of pizza out of the fridge, I walked over to the counter and placed it on a plate. Turning my head I nodded at Torch. He was wearing a pair of gray pants, a dark gray button up long sleeve shirt and a tan jacket, a black belt held the jacket tight around him, he had a pair of black combat boots on his feet. Torch had bullet teeth, the tops of them were silver and the bottom were copper, and his lower teeth were silver, his eyes were dormant right now, but he could light them red in a second, there was a spike on his gray colored head. His right arm was a flamethrower, very powerful and very deadly. He spoke in a hoarse, raspy snarl.

"I am getting a piece of pizza." I said.

Torch nodded his head and then walked away, in his place came Six Shooter, I had placed the picture of the baby down on the table counter in the living room beside his magazines. He was shaking his head and mumbling that there was no way in hell that he could have gotten me pregnant, it pissed me off something aweful that he was saying that I couldn't be pregnant, inside I wondered what was going to happen when the baby was born, would Six Shooter drop his attitude and embrace him and accept him as his son, or would he still be in denial. After a minute I took out the piece of pizza and started eating it.

"Whut's this?" Six Shooter asked.

"A picture of your baby." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Ye expect fer me to believe that this mah lil un'?" Six Shooter sighed, shoving the picture in his pocket. "It's jus' a blob."

"All babies start as blobs," I said. "he'll get bigger."

"Could jus' be somethin' ye ate las' night that done made ye sick." Six Shooter mumbled.

"When you're pregnant you puke," I said. "that's a fact..."

"Darlin'," Six Shooter interrupted me. "ye ain't pregnant, ye never was, ye jus' ate somethin' that didn't agree with yer belly."

I had almost finished the piece of pizza when my stomach lurched, dropping the crust I ran past Six Shooter towards the bathroom. I heard Six Shooter yelled at me that the piece of pizza was one of the culprits to my queasy belly. Slamming the door to the bathroom shut, I pulled the lid of the toilet up and I dropped to my knees.


	7. Chapter 7

"So how long are you?" Amber asked.

"About three months," I replied. "getting a little bit of a belly on me now."

"Is Six Shooter still being mister deny?" Amber asked.

"Surprisingly yes," I said. "I am planning on taking him to the doctors office with me today."

"How does he feel about that?" Amber asked.

"Mister deny says that it's a waste of time and gas to go," I replied. "I had to beg him to come with me."

"My father did the same thing," Amber sighed. "my mother says that she had to drag him into the doctor's office by his ear."

"That explains why Uncle Wayne has that bigger ear." I laughed.

The person that I had asked to drive me and Six Shooter to the doctor's office was Alicia, one of my many cousins. She was a week younger than me and a little bit shorter than me, she was five foot five inches. Six Shooter was wearing his best outfit for some reason, he was wearing a white shirt and brown jeans, he had a pair of black boots with gold spurs on his feet, his cowboy hat was brown, over his long sleeve button up shirt was a brown leather vest, he had left his holsters and guns in his room, under his chin was a blue kerchief. I was on my cell phone and he was just standing on the corner of the porch, his head held up by one of his six hands. We had been waiting outside in the cold for almost thirty minutes.

"How cold is it over there?" Amber asked.

"In the thirties." I replied.

"You wearing a jacket?" Amber asked. "My mother says that when you're pregnant you should make a special point to wear a jacket in cold temperatures."

"I have a jacket with me," I said. "it's just not on me at this time."

I saw a red Toyota drive up in the drive, my heart started pounding in my chest, it felt like it was going to come bursting out. Six Shooter jumped off the porch and tapped my leg, the cell phone had somehow turned itself off, I was famous for only charging the battery half way. Snapping it shut, I placed it in my bag and walked towards the truck. Six Shooter had already slid into the seat, when I climbed in I tapped him on his shoulder and made him move towards the window.

"Hey girl," Alicia exclaimed. "how's it going?"

"Pregnant," I replied.

"She ain't," Six Shooter spoke up. "don't ye believe anythin' she's a-got to say."

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that your cowboy is in big time denial." Alicia said.

"Yep," I said, rolling my eyes. "I'm hoping that with this doctor's appointment he'll change his 'tude."

Getting to the doctor's office was easy, Six Shooter was quiet for most of the trip, when we got there he had told me that he was going to wait in the truck. After five minutes of fighting in the parking lot he followed me reluctantly into the building. The inside of the building was painted blue and white, the floor was blue and gray tiled, they must have just washed and waxed it because it was very slick, Alicia nearly fell a few times. Six Shooter plopped down in one of the chairs and pulled up a magazine while I told the receptionist that I was here.

"She said it'd be five minutes." I said.

Alicia and Six Shooter were sitting across from each other. For some reason my eyes weren't steady, I had a magazine up to my face but instead of reading it all I did was look all over the place. I was very nervous, my eyes met Six Shooter's a few times, he looked to be perfectly fine, very relaxed and content.

"Angela," I heard the doctor call.

I must have jumped ten feet in the air, Six Shooter dropped his magazine on the table and slid from his seat, he was at least five feet behind me, his feet dragged the floor a little. When I came within arms reach of the doctor I stretched my hand out, he grabbed my hand and shook it, with his other hand he motioned for me and Six Shooter, who had caught up to me, to walk through the doorway.

"Take a seat ma'am," the doctor said. "I will be with you in a minute."

Six Shooter stood by the door, I couldn't get him to come in so when the door closed I felt a great gust of air fill my lungs, I could just about imagine what he was thinking outside. Crossing my legs and arms, I tilted my head back and said to myself that everything would be fine and that the doctor would change Six Shooter's attitude. It felt like forever for the doctor to come back into the room.

"How long are you in your pregnancy?" he asked.

"Just about three months." I said, nervously.

"May I ask who the guy is outside the door?" the doctor asked, his head held down, I guess he was looking at the papers on the clipboard.

"That's the father of my baby." I replied. "I asked him to come because he is still insistent that I am not pregnant."

"Do you want him to come in the room?" the doctor asked. "It is kind of funny for the father to be standing outside the door when it comes to an appointment to see if his child is healthy."

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "I would very much like for him to get his little butt in here."

The doctor walked out of the room and stayed out for a few minutes, when he returned Six Shooter was behind him, his head was down and his lower hands were in his pockets. I laughed inside a little. Nodding his head to me, the doctor, whose name was Jose Cullen, pulled the clipboard back up to his face. Six Shooter pulled the swivel chair up and sat on it.

"Lets take a look at that stomach." the doctor said.

Six Shooter hissed when the doctor took up my shirt and placed his hands on my stomach, when he placed the linear array transducer on my stomach to check the status on the baby Six Shooter stood up. The screen lit up on the unit a little, sitting in the middle of the screen was a very small baby, Six Shooter's eyes lit up bright and his mouth dropped.

"So mah gal is pregnant!" he exclaimed.

"Yes," the doctor said. "the baby is small for its age but seems healthy."

"Whut's the gender?" Six Shooter asked.

"Doc, can we keep the gender a secret please?" I asked.

"Not a problem with me," the doctor replied. "I can't detect any type of genitalia in the fetus anyways."

Six Shooter turned his back to the doctor and looked at me, the surprise in his eyes made me want to laugh. He was hovering his hand over the spot that the doctor had cleaned a few seconds before, after a few seconds of waiting, he finally placed his hand on my stomach. I heaved a big sigh of relief, although the baby was small the doctor did say that he was healthy, the better news was that Six Shooter had finally gotten over that phase of telling me and himself that I wasn't pregnant.

"I suggest you come back here in a few months," the doctor was saying. "three to be exact."

I didn't really hear what the doctor had said so when I left the office I didn't re-schedule a new appointment. The drive back to the ranch was quiet except for Six Shooter humming to my belly, Alicia and I didn't say a word to each other, in fact I was looking out the window, one hand by my side and the other on my belly. For the last few weeks I had found my eyes drifting a ways, I was glad that I was keeping food down though, I was getting rather sick of throwing up all the time.

"Talk to you in a few," I said to Alicia. "promise."

Alicia was almost always loud, it was rare to see her quiet. She worked at a bar, she had been working as a pole dancer for almost six months and according to her she loved it. She had black hair and green eyes, the only green eyed person in my family. She nodded her head then closed the door of her Toyota and drove off. Six Shooter patted my leg and got my attention quickly.

"Why don't we a-git started on gittin' the lil un' some thangs." he suggested.

"Like what?" I asked. "I've already got diapers, bottles, a pacifier and a few baby blankets."

"The lil un' will a-need a lot more then that sugar." Six Shooter said.

"I really don't feel like saying everything we need out here," I said, I was beginning to get moody. "lets go inside, cold as hell out here."


	8. Chapter 8

Looking over the list of items that Six Shooter and I had found on the Internet, I sighed loudly. This was all very expensive. The crib, changing table and play pen, if we decided to get it, would cost us over a hundred dollars, the other items weren't as expensive but it all added up to about over two hundred dollars. Before he had left to get a few of the items on the list he had told me to stay seated and to not over exert myself.

"How about one of those baby swings?" Judy suggested. "Babies love them!"

"Yes, I have heard that." I replied. "But they are expensive."

"Girl-friend you need so stop worrying about the price of the items that the baby will need." Judy exclaimed. "Six Shooter will take care of it all."

"Six Shooter isn't mister money bags." I sighed.

Lately I had been acting very sour, like I was depressed, I wasn't sure if it was one of the mood swings that my pregnancy conjured up, I had been acting very funny lately, my moods were all over the place. At times I would be all teary eyed, at others I would be very pissed off, one time I had had a weird craving for spaghetti tacos and for some reason Six Shooter had made me some. It was all beginning to take its toll on me.

"All these mood swings..." I sighed.

"They're normal," Judy said. "hell even I had them when I was pregnant with Patrick."

"I don't suppose you asked for Spaghetti Tacos a few times," I laughed. "or peanut covered pickles?"

"I had similar cravings yes," Judy laughed. "they'll go away when the baby is born."

"Be glad your cravings don't include pineapple, shredded cheese and ranch dressing all mixed up." Leech Woman shouted from the living room. "I've heard a few of the wacky things you humans crave when you're pregnant."

Feeling some pressure on my stomach I sat up straighter, I was five and a half months pregnant and the baby was starting to get a little kicky. I couldn't lie or sit down without feeling him kick his legs out. Pushing myself up with my elbows, I slowly stood up. My belly had begun to bulge out a little and I was finding myself constantly putting my hands on it. Looking to the left, I saw that Judy was staring at me.

"What?" I exclaimed.

"Nothing," Judy exasperated. "sheesh, you catch anyone looking at you nowadays and you go off the high end."

"I'm sorry Jude," I apologised. "I am finding myself yelling at just about everyone these days."

I heard a horn being blasted outside so I looked out the window, outside the house was a red van and Six Shooter was waving for me to come out. Sighing loudly, I walked very slowly out of the room and started down the stairs. My mood had once again changed from anger to depression, my heart was heavy and so was my mind. My mind was not on the stairs so I wasn't paying attention to where I placed my feet. One misplaced foot sent me flying down the stairs.

"What the hell was that?"

At first I thought that everyone had gone out to help Six Shooter unpack the van, the front door was wide open and the house was very quiet. Lifting my head up, I saw the blurry form of Torch standing in the doorway that led to the kitchen. Shaking my head slightly, I tried sitting up. A pang of pain ran through my stomach and a scream lasped through my lips. I lost all feeling in my arms, it was no surprise that I fell back to the floor.

"She's waking up."

Slowly opening my eyes, I felt something cold and wet on my forehead, sitting around me looked to be all of the puppets. Turning my head to the side I saw Six Shooter, he was on his knees, my head was on his lap, his face bore nothing but fear. When I turned my head away from him the first thing that came to my mind was the pain that I had experienced after the fall. Looking down at my stomach, I felt nothing going on, it was very still. Raising one of my hands, I placed it on my belly and hoped to feel something, anything, to show that the baby was fine, that the fall had done nothing to him.

"Darlin'," Six Shooter said gently. "ye alrighty?"

The first thing that ran through my body was that my baby was dead, that the fall had caused me to miscarry him. Closing my eyes, I hoped that he would kick out, would punch out with one of his hands, I was hoping for anything. When I felt Six Shooter's hands fall to my shoulders I opened my eyes. The baby had done nothing but stay still in my stomach.

"I'm worried," I said to him. "I am worried that the fall might have..."

A shot of pain made my hands shoot up and grab Six Shooter's shoulders tight, he crunched up his face and reached two of his six hands up, when he clasped his hands around mine it seemed like everyone was shouting. When my hands were de-clawed from his shoulders I fell to the ground, my head snapped back and slammed against the floor hard. I heard Leech Woman and Decapitron yell out for someone to get a few towels and blankets, I think I heard Blade hiss for someone to get the phone, Six Shooter was yelling out for Torch, Pinhead and Tunneler to help him in moving me to the couch.

"Judy," I heard Six Shooter yell. "is mah gal miscarryin' the baby?"

"I don't think so," Judy yelled. "I think she is in labor."

I had never been in labor before so I didn't know if I was going through the pains of a miscarriage or the pains of labor. All I knew was that my stomach was hurting a lot, I was cramping badly, the muscles in my stomach and abdomen were pushing and contracting and I was sweating a lot. When I was placed on the couch everyone but Six Shooter backed away. He picked my head up and gently placed it on his lap.

"Ye shur mah gal is in labor?" he asked Judy. "she ain't a-miscarryin'?"

"The fall must have broken her water," Judy replied. "that's the only thing I can think of."

"Torch," Leech Woman said. "you were in the house when she fell, did she fall on her stomach?"

"Hell no," Torch exclaimed. "I saw her fall, looked like she fell more on her side."

"Angela," Judy said, stepping forward. "what type of pains are you having?"

I couldn't answer, the pain was unbearable, my abdomen was cramping up more than my stomach, taking a big gulp of air I sat up straight and looked down. My pants, which had been dry when I had left the room, were now wet and bloody. A pang of fear ran through my body, without knowing it I let myself fall back.

"I hurt," I gasped. "a lot!"


	9. Chapter 9

"I have no idea how long a puppet-human hybrid is suppose to be in the womb," Judy exclaimed. "so stop asking me if she is in labor or if she is miscarrying cause I don't know!"

"Well somethin's a-happin' with mah gal," Six Shooter yelled. "she's in a lot o' pain."

Six Shooter and Judy had been fighting like mad for a long time, I had fallen asleep for a few hours and when I had woke up I had seen both of them standing toe to toe yelling at each other. My stomach and abdomen still hurt and I was beginning to get some sort of heaviness in my rear, when I had woken up I had been forced to start breathing heavily, it was instinct I guess. Six Shooter had moved me from the couch, I was now on the floor, a pillow behind my head and a blanket over my body.

"Six Shooter..." I whispered.

"Angel..." Six Shooter gasped, he turned around quickly, almost fell to his knees. "ye alrighty?"

"Still in a lot of pain." I said.

"Ye ain't a-miscarryin' are ye?" Six Shooter asked.

There was a pang of fear in his voice, I could tell that he was worried about the baby. Slowly pushing myself up, I reached a hand out and nearly touched his shoulder. The pain was unbearable yes, but for some reason something told me that I wasn't miscarrying. Bringing my hand to my stomach I gently rubbed and smoothed it, I didn't feel any kicking, but I thought I felt the baby move slightly. Feeling a little breeze fall on me, I looked up, Six Shooter was falling to his knees in front of me.

"Something tells me that I'm not miscarrying," I said to him. "I think he is coming."

Six Shooter nodded his head and lowered himself farther to the floor, he was now lying down beside me, a hand on my stomach. For some reason the pain subsided, it was like my body had a calming effect, my man smiled warmly and gently kissed my cheek, when he pulled his hand up to my face the pain returned.

"Ouch!" I screamed.

"Ye alrighty?" Six Shooter asked.

"Damn pain is enough to make even the toughest cowboy run for the hills!" I said.

"Ye want me to bring ye anythin'?" he asked. "Water, something to eat?"

"No!" I yelled.

I didn't mean for the word to come out as a yell, the pain had caused it to come out like that. Six Shooter pulled himself to the side, his ear had been close to my lips when I had yelled. Smiling warmly, I patted his shoulder. I felt tired so I allowed for my elbows to slip to the floor. For some reason when I closed m eyes the pain subsided, when I fell asleep I dreamed about holding a baby that looked like Six Shooter.

"Ah," I heard a slightly deep voice say. "I see the dead has awoken."

"Pinhead!" Leech Woman exclaimed. "Not the time to be speaking such words."

"What all I did was say she is awake." Pinhead said in defense. "Didn't mean for it to sound offensinve or anything."

"All playing and joking will be done after the baby is born." Leech Woman said.

"That is," Decapitron sighed. "if the baby is alive and healthy."

In my mind I was asking why Decapitron had said that, the last thing that I wanted, that I needed, on my mind was that, was if the baby would be born alive or unhealthy. I wondered how much longer I had to go before the baby was born, Blade was nearby as was Dr. Death, turning my head to the side I looked at them for the longest time.

"How much longer?" I asked.

"You are ten centimeters along," Blade replied. "you've slept through most of it, now all that is needed to be done is you delivering it."

"You mean him." I corrected him. "I am sure that the baby in my stomach is a boy."

"Lets hope so," Jester giggled. "a girl from Six Shooter I would be afraid of."

Taking a deep breath in, I pushed myself up. Six Shooter was behind me so he helped me up. Leech Woman and Judy were holding towels, they were ready for when the baby was born, Blade, I had a feeling, would be acting as the doctor, he was in position for when the baby came out. Everyone else was waiting outside in the hall, I guess they didn't want to get in the way. Taking a deep breath in, I pushed hard and screamed at the same time.

"Fuck!" I screamed. "Is it going to take much fucking longer?"

"You're almost there," Blade said. "two pushes maybe three more and we'll see what we have."

Six Shooter slowly left my side when I pushed twice more, when I started to push for the third time he shoved Blade out of the way. I took a few deep breathes, when I closed my eyes I pushed for a final time, my strength was dwindling to nothing, I wanted the baby out and I wanted him out now. When I felt something come out I opened my eyes, what I saw nearly stopped my stomach and my heart. Six Shooter was pushed to the side, Leech Woman was wrapping something up in a blue blanket, she was working hastily so I couldn't tell if the baby was breathing or not, all I knew was that the baby had not cried, the baby had not cried when he had left me.

"What's going on?" I asked, I was clueless as to what had happened.

"We aren't sure," Decapitron sighed. "the baby didn't cry when he came out so Elsa is checking him."

It felt like forever waiting for Leech Woman to walk into the living room, when she did her arms were to her side, her hair was all over the place, when I looked at her eyes my heart dropped to my knees. There was a sad look to her eyes, a very sad look. The room grew very quiet, everyone was waiting for her to say what had happened.

"It was a boy," she said.

"How is he?" I asked, fear was starting to enclose itself around me. "Is he alright?"

"No," Leech Woman sighed after a long pause. "from what I see, he didn't make the birth."

My mind popped, my heart must have stopped in my chest, I felt my body start shaking, looking to the side I saw that Six Shooter had his back to me. Sighing loudly, trying to keep from crying, I placed my hand on his shoulder. When he jerked back I couldn't help myself, my eyes opened and I started sobbing.

"Wha...what do you mean that he didn't make the birth?" I asked, I didn't want to believe it.

"I did all I could to get him to cry," Leech Woman replied. "I tapped his foot, I patted him on his back, I even checked to see if his airway was blocked. Everything looked fine, he looked very healthy."

"Then why did he not make it!" I yelled. "How can a healthy baby be born dead?"

"I don't know," Leech Woman said, walking out of the room. "I'm sorry.


	10. Chapter 10

Don't worry," he said. "we'll a-have another."

I still couldn't believe it, I had been pregnant for almost six months, all of those months of talking to the baby and telling him that he'd have the most awesome father and upbringing, and it was turning into a nightmare. I had been in labor for almost eight hours and when the baby had been born his aunt, had rushed him out, I hadn't even seen him, and I could have sworn that he hadn't cried. Leech Woman had walked in a few minutes after the birth and had told me that the baby didn't make it. Turning my head to the side, I covered my face in Six Shooter's shirt. He wrapped four of his arms around me and he placed his head down on my shoulder, I could tell that he felt the exact same way that I did.

"Uh guys," I heard. "you might want to stop grieving for a little bit."

I felt Six Shooter pull his head up, I was still distraught, it took a lot to turn my head to the left. Standing in he middle of the doorway that led to the living room, was Leech Woman, in her hands was a blue bundle. Leech Woman's black hair was all over the place, her dark brown eyes shown brightly. Pulling my head out a little more, I was curious about the bundle in her arms.

"Who wants to be the first to hold him?" Leech Woman asked.

Six Shooter and I looked at Leech Woman, we were both confused, neither of us had seen the baby and we both believed that he hadn't made it. I could tell that he was thinking the same thing as I was, we were both wondering what the bundle was in her arms. The bundle was no more than eight inches long, baby blue and it wasn't moving.

"Whut is it yer a-holdin'? Six Shooter asked.

"Come and hold him," Leech Woman said, smiling widely.

Leech Woman didn't wait for Six Shooter to walk forward, she walked forward and gently placed the bundle in Six Shooter's arms. He looked at the bundle then at Leech Woman, he did that a few times. Pushing myself up, I watched as he pushed his head into the bundle, a few seconds later a flap in the blanket opened and a small arm shot out, the hand at the end grabbed Six Shooter's nose. Judy, Decapitron and Blade laughed a little, I could have sworn that I had heard the baby giggle. Six Shooter brought his middle left hand up, he let the baby fall to it and he brought the hand that had been around the baby before up to his nose, he gently pulled the baby's hand down.

Leech Woman and Decapitron were standing off to the side, Blade was seated in the chair across the room, Judy was beside him. After hearing that the baby had been born they had walked in, the only one missing in the room was Torch, I had no idea where he was. Jester, Pinhead and Tunneler were standing beside the couch, Mephisto and Cyclops were standing beside me. Pushing myself up a little more, I tried looking over Six Shooter's shoulder.

"Can I hold the baby?" I asked.

Six Shooter was holding one of his hands up over the baby, he was moving it like it was a spider and it was getting some giggles from the baby. The baby had a high squeal to his laugh, it was addicting, I wondered what the baby looked like. Did he have a face like his father, or did he have a face like me. Pushing myself up higher, I placed my hand on Six Shooter's shoulder and gently shook it, he took a step forward.

"Can I see my baby?" I asked him.

When Six Shooter opened his mouth and allowed for his tongue to come out the baby giggled madly, every time I heard the baby giggle it made me feel crazy. Seeing Six Shooter hold the baby made me want to hold him more, I placed my hand on Six Shooter's shoulder again and gently shook it. Six Shooter looked over his shoulder then took a small step to the side. My temper got the better of me, when I pushed myself up fully I pulled my arm up and jabbed him in the ribs, not enough to make him drop the baby, but enough to make him know that I was getting pissed. Him holding the baby and taking steps away from me made me feel like he was trying to keep the baby to himself, and I didn't like it one bit.

"Can I hold my fucking child?" I shouted.

Six Shooter jumped to the side and turned around slightly, his eyes were huge and bright. I held my arms out and looked at him hard. He shrugged his shoulders and walked forward, when he slid the baby in my arms I looked down. The baby in the blue blanket looked beautiful! I had never seen eyes like the ones the baby had, his were huge, the biggest eyes I had ever seen, and brown, the same shade as his father's, he really looked to be his father all over again. He had Six Shooter's nose, his lips and his chin.

"Well hello there little one," I gently said to the baby. "remember me?"

The baby shot one of his arms out of the blanket fast, a little too fast. The blanket opened up some more and revealed more sets of arms, I saw four arms, not the two that I had thought he'd have. The baby giggled and wrapped one of his hands around my finger when I started re-wrapping him, I didn't feel like him catching cold. Six Shooter cleared his throat and placed his hand on my shoulder, when he leaned in to give me a kiss I turned on him.

"The next child we have," I said sternly. "I get to hold first!"

"I admit," he said gently. "I did a-hold the lil' un a lil too long an' Imma sorry fer that."

"What are we going to call him?" I asked, I looked at the baby and smiled widely, he smiled right back.

Six Shooter stayed quiet for the longest time, all the while I was looking at the baby, marveling at how beautiful he looked. When I had imagined the baby I had seen him with two arms, not four, and smaller brown eyes. I had also imagined him being a little bigger in size. Hearing Six Shooter snap his fingers, I looked up sharply.

"Hows 'bout Four Shooter?" he suggested.

I didn't feel like offending Six Shooter, the name he had picked out for the baby did not sound right. I closed my eyes and thought for awhile, I wanted the baby to have a good name, a good name that said that he was Six Shooter's son. For some reason I kept coming up with the Four Way intersection sign, there was one a few miles away from the house. When I opened my eyes I looked at the baby, the baby looked back at me and smiled, he had a smile just like his father's.

"How about Four Way Shot?" I suggested.

Six Shooter took a step back, I could tell by the look on his face that he was tasting the name on his tongue. I liked the name just fine, I thought it was a great name. Feeling movement in the blanket I looked down, the baby was trying to push one of his hands through the blanket, even though he was very small he was very strong. Smiling gently, I let him push a hand out. He opened and closed his hand a few times and then he let his hand fall, I gently wrapped my index finger around it, I gently and slowly pulled his hand up to my lips and kissed it.

"I a-like it!" Six Shooter exclaimed. "Four Way Shot it is!"

Looking up, I saw that Leech Woman was staring at me, a half smile on her face. Decapitron seemed to of been smiling as well, letting my eyes wonder I looked at everyone. Just about everyone was smiling, the only one that wasn't was Cyclops, he was nodding his head and his hand was clamped over Mephisto's shoulder. Hearing Leech Woman clear her throat, I turned my eyes towards her.

"After I had told you guys that the baby hadn't been born alive I went into the other room and placed my hands on either side of him." she explained. "When I pulled the blanket back he laughed."

Leech Woman grabbed the arm of the couch and shook her head, I could tell that she was trying to hold in the surprised sigh and laugh. It probably had shocked her so much that she had jumped back. The thought of her pulling the blanket away from my baby to hear him laugh a few minutes after she had said that he was dead made me want to laugh. Smiling a little, I gently repositioned the baby in my arms, he was falling asleep.

"It surprised me so much that I nearly ran out of the room," Leech Woman was saying. "I had to pull the blanket back to where all of his arms could be seen. He grabbed my hand..."

She walked towards me, a huge smile on her face and eyes so bright, I placed my hand on her shoulder to calm her, it looked like it had been a very surprising experience. Just having the baby in my arms was a surprise in itself, sighing loudly, I placed my head on Six Shooter's shoulder. The baby's eyes were closed and his lips were moving a little, every so often I would hear him mumble a little.

"As soon as I saw his hand move I re-wrapped him up and brought him out here," she said.

"Girl,"

Pulling my head up, I looked at Blade. In his hand was a piece of paper, Six Shooter walked forward and grabbed it, Blade looked at him for a second then nodded his head. I had a feeling that it was the birth certificate, Blade had said that he'd fill it out as soon as the baby was born. When Six Shooter returned to my side he held the paper so that I could read it.

Name: Four Way Shot

Mother: Angela Rakestraw

Father: Six Shooter

Date of Birth: March 15th, 2000

Time: 7:45 pm

"I don't suppose he'll have a last name?" I laughed.

Six Shooter laughed loudly, it woke the baby, when Four Way Shot started crying just about everyone started laughing. When I had been told that he hadn't made it I had thought that I would never hear him cry. Smiling widely, I pulled him up and gently presented a breast, when he latched on my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, I had to gently pry him loose.

"I think I'm going to have a problem when it comes to breast feeding him," I said. "I mean, that hurt!"

"It's going to hurt the first time," Judy said, stepping forward. "try again."

I did as Judy had said and slowly pulled the baby up to my breast, when he latched on I didn't feel any pain. Breathing a sigh of relief, I looked at the baby, his browns eyes looked into mine, it was like he couldn't keep his eyes from me, like he was speaking to me. After a few minutes he left my breast, when I pulled him to my shoulder I gently patted his back he burped. Six Shooter placed his hand gently on the baby's back and patted it with me, looking up at him I smiled lovingly. He smiled back and brought his lips to the base of my neck, kissing me. When the baby made a cooing sound he smiled and kissed his cheek.

"When she said that he didn't make it," I said, almost to myself. "I thought that I'd never be able to hold him, much less hear him giggle."

"When I a-heard her say that I a-thought I wuz never goin' to see mah young 'un much less play with him." Six Shooter laughed.

"So who's the one to change his diaper first?" I asked, joking.

"Ain't me," Six Shooter exclaimed with a laugh. "ye can take care o' all that."

"Nah uh!" I shot back. "since you held him for so long, you can change his diaper for the first time."

"Nope," Six Shooter said. "ain't a-gonna happen."

"It'd be a wonderful bonding experience." I said flirtingly.

"Nope,"

"And it starts," Judy laughed. "the first fight over who changes the diaper first."

"Just as long as it isn't me," Torch called from the hallway. "I'm fine."

I smiled and laughed, the baby had fallen asleep on my shoulder. Looking at him lovingly, I thought about the future. When he'd turn one year old, when he'd take his first step, when he'd start crawling and a bunch of years down the road, when his father would teach him how to shoot a gun and ride a horse. Gently moving him from my shoulder, I re-wrapped him in the blanket, he didn't wake up but did make a moan, probably in half sleep telling me that I was bothering his dream. Looking up, I saw Leech Woman staring at me, a gentle smile on her face, she looked tired.

"How do we look?" I asked.

"Like new parents," Leech Woman said. "scared beyond your wildest nightmares."


	11. Part 2: Firestorm

My eyes flew open for the fourth time that night, a sigh lasped from my lips and I slowly sat up. Lying beside me was my mate, how he could sleep was a mystery to me. Swinging my eyes to the left, I saw the dark silhouette of the crib that the cries were coming from. The baby in the crib was mine, he was only three weeks old. Pushing the sheets from me and swinging my legs from the bed, I got up slowly, sleepily and nearly fell from exhaustion. I hadn't had an ounce of sleep since the baby had been born, I wasn't the only one in the house that the baby had kept up at night.

"Hey, hey," I said in a whisper. "quiet now."

Looking in the creib, the baby was waving all four of his arms all over the place. He hadn't figured out how to make them go in the same direction, at times the top set would fly to the side or to the front while the other set would go the other ways. He had nearly hit his father in the face doing that. My son was wearing just a diaper, somehow he'd always get out of the shirts that had been bought for him so both me and Six Shooter had decided to forgo them until he was a little older. It was hard to hold the baby. He was pretty squirmy, he wouldn't stop moving. One time his father had nearly dropped him after he had picked him up from his crib, that had pissed me off until it had happened to me an hour later.

"Hey now hear me," I said, tired and aggravated. "it's sleep time, not food time..."

"If you don't shut that brat up in five minutes I will!"

Taking a quick breath, I slowly turned my head and from the corner of my eye I saw his uncle standing in the doorway. Torch was wearing a red robe, either it had black flames on the bottom or smoke, one or the other. The room was very dark so his lit up eyes were very noticeable, they made him look very menacing. Swallowing hard, a pinch of fear clouding me, I put my hands into the crib and picked my son up.

"He's just hungry." I said to myself, my eyes closed.

"Then feed the brat!" Torch snarled. "I'm tired of being woke up in the wee hours of the night by the brat."

"Yes Torch." I said quickly.

I didn't want Torch to know it, but at times I really did get scared of him. He was a hothead with a temper and a flamethrower that he knew how to use well. Right now my fear had switched from me being afraid for myself but for my baby. I didn't feel like having a fried baby just weeks old on my hands. Pulling my son to my shoulder, one hand on him firmly as he was trying to push himself from me, I walked past Torch towards the stairs. When I was three steps down I looked back, Torch was walking back to his room, slowly.

"Okay baby," I said to him when I walked into the kitchen. "lets try some baby food, again."

I didn't want to admit it to Six Shooter, but my breasts were stressed out to a T. Since our son's birth he had not touched a single spoonful of baby food, he'd snap his lips shut whenever I'd bring the spoon up. If I did get any of the stuff in him, it was a sure bet that it wouldn't go down to his belly. He'd look at me, smile and then spit it up. He did the same with formula, he wouldn't suck on the nipple, whenever he did have some in his mouth he's spit it up and start crying, loud! Pulling the baby from my shoulder, I quickly snapped him into his baby chair and turned around, my foot slammed into the corner of the counter and I yelled.

"As if I don't have enough with that brat crying now I have to yell at you for yelling at three in the fucking morning!"

Looking at the kitchen doorway, I waited to see if Torch was going to walk in. He didn't so I supposed that he had his door open and had roared really loud. Shaking my head, I turned back to the cabinet and pulled out a jar of peas. Six Shooter had bought a good lot of the brand that his son was to eat, Gerber. Thinking twice, I put that jar back and pulled another out, this time carrots.

"Okay Four Way," I said to the baby gently. "we're gonna try this again."

Taking the food out of the microwave, it was warm but not warm enough to hurt his mouth, I opened the lid and put in a spoon, when I pulled it out I smiled, I thought that if my son saw me smile he'd take the food and not spit it up. I was wrong. When the spoon came up to an inch from his mouth he clamped shut and shook his head. Rolling my eyes I pulled the spoon back and when he opened his mouth I tried again, with no go.

"Now come on," I said, aggravated. "your father spent good money on this, he would not be pleased if he knew that you wasn't eating it."

I forgot how much Six Shooter had spent on all of the stuff that he had bought for the baby, somewhere over four hundred dollars I believe, all of the stuff was expensive and I had tried to talk him from buying some of it, to no avail. Once the man had had something on his mind, it was hard to change it. Besides the play pen, which the baby was put in a lot, he had bought a baby swing and a walker, the baby swing Four Way Shot liked a lot but the walker he would not be able to use until he was seven or eight months old.

"Come on," I said, stamping my foot down and grimacing in pain. "eat at least a quarter of this and I'll be happy."

When I had one spoonful of carrots in his mouth I nearly did a happy dance, nearly. After ten seconds he smiled then spit everything in his mouth out, all over me. Grabbing the towel from the ring under the sink, I wiped my face and glared, madly, at my son who was slapping two of his four hands against the tray. Frowning and sighing angrily, I quickly cleaned myself up then sat down beside him, taking my shirt off. My breasts hurt, so what my brain told me, my son wouldn't eat baby food or drink formula but he sure did like the natural milk, he rarely spit it up.

The baby was fast asleep in my arms ten minutes later, I had remembered to pat him on his back while he fed, I had heard that you was suppose to while an infant was feeding to reduce him or her from spitting whatever went in. It seemed to work, three weeks into his life and he had only spit up my natural milk twice and that was when I hadn't patted him on the back. With my son on my shoulder, one hand on his back to keep him there, I used the other to put the food that he had not ate on the counter, I was too sleepy to put it back in the cabinet. When that was done I left the kitchen, and walked into Torch who was standing right by the bottom step, it looked like he had had his head to the wall the entire time.

"Spying on me while I feed my son eh." I said, I laughed a little.

"Waiting on you to get your ass out of there so I can get something in my stomach." he snarled.

Shrugging my shoulders, my eyelids were dropping, I was tired and from what I saw on the clock it said it was nearly four thirty at night. Climbing the stairs slowly, one hand on the banister and the other on my baby, I reached the door to me and Six Shooter's room a few minutes later, it felt like forever, my foot was hurting from when I had slammed it on the corner of the counter. Pushing the door in and taking a step into the room, I nearly fell with exhaustion. Using all the strength I had left in me, I walked to the crib and layed the baby in it. When I turned around, I dropped to the floor, where I fell asleep.

"Hey..." I heard being whispered in my ear. "hey thar, wake up."

Picking my head up from the floor, my arm must have acted as the pillow as my head was resting on it, Six Shooter was kneeling down beside me, wearing barely anything but his underwear. Pushing myself up, the first thing I thought was my son. Turning my head to the side, I looked at the crib. Four Way Shot was awake, two of his hands were around the bars to the crib, he looked to be saying that he wanted out. Six Shooter grabbed my chin gently in his hand and pulled it back, so that I was looking at him.

"Hard night?" he asked.

"He kept both me and Torch up." I replied.

"He a-was cryin' like crazy when I woke up darlin'." Six Shooter said. "I done took him down an' fed him good a-fore I woke ye up."

Six Shooter's words range through my head for a few minutes, Four Way Shot wouldn't take my milk by a bottle, and he wouldn't drink formula or eat the baby food that his father had fed him. Shaking my head, I sat up and staring, confused at Six Shooter for a minute and a half. He smoothed his hand over my forehead, pushing the strand of hair that constantly fell into my eyes back.

"You fed him?" I asked him.

"Yeah, he done et a good half jar o' that carrot stuff that a-was out on the counter." Six Shooter replied.

Sighing loudly, I pushed myself up to my feet, Four Way Shot giggled and rattled his crib, there was a rattle in his crib but as far as I could tell it was never used or played with. When I took a step towards the bed pain ran up my leg. Clamping my teeth on my lips to stop yelling, I sat down quickly and looked down. My foot looked a mess, a very long gash to the side and two of the toes, the little and the toe beside it, were dark colored. Six Shooter made a gasping sound and went to the bathroom, when he came out he had some bandages and some cleaning solutions in his hands.

"How'd ye do that darlin'?" he asked.

"Last night," I said, hands clinched on the beds mattress. "while trying to feed your son."

"How?" Six Shooter asked.

"Slammed my foot into the edge of the counter." I said. "I was tired and it was dark so I wasn't paying attention."

"Make shur he do next time Sugar," the cowboy said. "I a-don't like seein' ye in pain, ye know that."

When he applied the alcohol to my foot it stung, I had learned to ignore the pain when I was a girl so I didn't pay much mind to it. I was looking at my son wondering if he had given his father any trouble when he had fed him. The baby looked clean, no food around or on his face, his hands clean and it looked like he had a new diaper on. Half smiling, I remembered the small fight me and Six Shooter had had over who'd change the diaper first. I had made a joke about it when the baby had been born, it had come true the next day when he needed changing.

"Did he give you any problems when you was feeding him?" I asked the man in front of me.

"Nah," Six Shooter said. "none at all."

"He didn't spit up anything or clamp his mouth shut when you brought the spoon up to him?" I asked, shocked.

"No problems." Six Shooter replied. "He et fine an' I a-had no problems with him."

"Wow, such a shocker you are Baby!" I squeaked to my son who was looking at me.

"Ain't no shock to it darlin'," he laughed.

"Yes it is," I yawned. "he spits up baby food and formula whenever I give it to him."

"I s'pose he a-changes fer me as I's his pa."

I was surprised, I had thought that the baby never ate the food and now I was being told that he did. My mind was spinning, I wondered if the baby also took the formula from his father. Rolling my eyes for the second time that morning, after Six Shooter was done bandaging the cut on my foot I stood up and got changed from the shirt that I was wearing into a blue button up with light blue stitching and blue jeans, my boots were down in the kitchen and my hat was on the hook by the bathroom. The sun came in through the window and lit everything up, Six Shooter's room had become a mess after the baby had been born. Since Four Way Shot's room was not ready for him yet, Six Shooter and I had decided to let him sleep in our room, he estimated that it'd be another two weeks, really from what I saw it looked like it'd be a full month before the baby's room would be complete. It needed painting on the walls, the carpet was a mess and there was no furniture in it, just a bare room with paint cans and a small ladder.

"So what are you going to do today Sixy, baby?" I asked, I liked using that name as a tease to him and he hated it.

"Same ol', same ol'." Six Shooter said. "An' it's Tex, not Sixy."

"Sure it is." I giggled.

It turned out that I had had enough sleep to keep me going for the morning. Four Way Shot fell asleep three times, when he wasn't asleep he's be put in the pen with a baby holder behind his back to hold him up, a few of the toys that Six Shooter had bought had his attention, the two that he loved that he had gotten from me were the two stuffed horses that I had brought here when I had moved in. I figured it was time to give them over to my son, being a little too old for them myself. Four Way Shot, it looked, would run his hands through the hair on the necks, the hair on the tails, like he was grooming them, and I had caught him sleeping on the bay one time.

"Hey Torch," I said when I walked past the man who was standing at the fridge.

"Yeah, what about it!" he snarled.

"Huh?" I asked, confused. "I said hello."

"Hey, what the hells going on with you, goodbye."

I could tell that the man was cranky from getting hardly any sleep last night so I left him alone for the rest of the morning. Reaching into the fridge, I grabbed the bacon. It was ten, still time to make breakfast and enough to time digest until lunch time ran through. Turning around, I grabbed a frying pan and set it down on the stove. Opening the bacon, I took about a quarter from it.

"Little late for breakfast," Torch growled. "you know."

"Enough time to make some bacon," I said back. "I'm not making eggs or anything else."

"Make me some then," Torch grumbled. "I'm hungry."

"Isn't hot enough outside to cook bacon on the sidewalk?" I asked.

"Not yet and I'm not going to cook outside where ants could wander onto my food."

I laughed inside, I had put my fear aside for now to joke around with Torch some. Beside the temper, he and I got along well, in secret I liked him a lot, I had a crush on him. To me, not only was he hot, I thought he was a cutie. Course I didn't want to tell him this, reaching into the bacon's package, I pulled out the other quarter.

"Half for you and half for me." I said to my friend.

"Yeah yeah," Torch said sleepily. "if I fall asleep knock me over."

"Will do." I laughed.

"You better not!" Torch growled. "If I fall asleep just leave me alone until the food's on a plate in front of me."

"Will do." I repeated, serious this time.

When I placed the plate with the bacon on it in front of Torch I thought the smell would wake him up, when it didn't I gently placed my hand on his shoulder and gently shook it. When his eyes lit up, bright as can be, I took a step back. Sticking some of the bacon in my mouth, I started chewing. It seemed, at that exact moment, Four Way Shot decided to cry.

"Oh he picks the right moment to start crying." I said jokingly.

"Yeah," Torch said, he was engulfed with his bacon and wasn't really paying attention.


	12. Chapter 12

"So how's baby boy?" my cousin asked, in a whisper.

"Growing bigger every day," I said with a laugh. "I had no idea he'd get this big in such a short span of time."

"George is growing as well," my cousin said. "I believe the doctor said two and a half inches."

"Ha!" I laughed. "Four Way Shot's grown from eight inches to nearly eleven."

"Golly Jaysus girl!" my cousin exclaimed. "What the hell you feeding him? Growth milk?"

It was true, and I was getting rather proud of it as I wasn't expecting him to grow three inches in nearly three months. Four Way Shot had finally started taking baby food from me, the first month he had only taken baby food and formula from his father, he was still not taking any of the formula from me, he still preferred my natural milk. My breasts, which had swelled to twice their size last month, were now breathing a sigh of relief now since he was now eating his non liquid diet only twice a day instead of the five or six, I had tried using a breast pump once last month and it hadn't worked.

"Has he sat up yet?" Amber asked.

"No," I replied. "but he sure has learned how to roll over though."

"George hasn't sat up yet either," Amber sighed. "in fact, it seems all he wants to do now is sleep."

"Does he still cry at all hours of the night?" I asked.

"Hell no and thank goodness for that as I was going out of my mind!" Amber exclaimed. "Is four arms still keeping Torch up?"

"Yeah," I said, my hand over the phone. "had to pull Torch away from the crib a few nights ago."

It was true, Four Way Shot had started crying at four am a few nights ago, I hadn't reacted fast enough and Torch had rushed in saying that enough was enough. When I had seen him pull his flamethrower up to the crib I had rushed forward, with one arm I had pulled my baby from the crib and with the other I had grabbed Torch around his flamethrower and had pulled him roughly to the side. My hand had been burned badly, but it was a price to pay for protecting my child from the Fire Wonder.

"How old is George?" I asked my cousin.

"Five months," Amber said, I could hear her baby crying in the background. "two months older than yours."

"Shouldn't he be crawling at his age?" I asked.

"Mister Overlord Doctor says that he could start crawling any time now," Amber said. "I gotta go, George is calling me."

"Talk soon, cousin."

Hanging the phone up, I felt a bit of sadness. It had been a very long time since I had seen my cousins, Joshua, Steven, their sisters Crystal and Karen, Amanda, her husband and her five month old son, Cody, my older sister, Aimee, her cowboy and her eight year old son and Alicia and her times I had pondered calling each of them but had never gotten to it, time was pressed nowadays because my son required a lot of attention plus I needed to keep my eyes on Torch, I was beginning to get worried that one day he might really hurt him.

Walking from the kitchen, where the phone was at the time, I saw my son, who was on his stomach, in the pen. He had learned now how to make each of his arms to go in the same direction, he was still a rather squirmy baby, he was a real handful at times. When he saw me coming he rolled over to his back and layed his head back, it looked like he was looking at me upside down.

"You playing in there Baby?" I asked him.

Hearing a sound from the stairs, I turned my head up. Six Shooter was walking down, in one of his hands a bucket of blue paint and in the one parallel to it a paint stick used to stir the paint. For the past three months of my sons life he had been sleeping and living in our room, some of the furniture that Six Shooter had bought had been moved from our room to the baby's room but the crib stayed, along with the changing table with all the little items that went with it, diapers, trash can, wipes and powder.

"Jus' gotta air the room out a-fore he can be moved in." Six Shooter said, he sounded tired.

"The room's done?" I asked, shocked.

"Yep," the cowboy replied. "I a-say he can be moved in tomorry."

"Are you sure it'd be safe for him to move in tomorrow?" I asked. "I mean, the fumes from the paint might still be there."

"Hee hee," Six Shooter laughed. "Paint fumes, I a-like that!"

"I'm serious!" I shot back.

"He'll a-be fine darlin'." the cowboy said, wiping one of his hands over his brow. "trust me."

Looking at my son then back at Six Shooter, my mind was amazed. Four Way Shot looked almost exactly like Six Shooter, if he would have been born with two more arms under the four that he already had he would have probably been given the title of Junior. Walking forward, he reached into the pen and wiggled my finger. I wished that my son could be around my cousins babies. I was sure Four Way Shot would enjoy the company of other babies, it'd give a wonderful socialising experience as right now, the only ones he had to play with were my and Six Shooter plus a few of the others who'd walk over and play for a few minutes, Torch never played with the baby, he'd always be sitting or standing at a distance.

"It won't be long until you can move into your own room, Baby." I said to my son. "You'll have to give up momma and dadda's room for a while."

"Oh great!" I heard a roar. "The room's done for the brat now I gotta really worry about my sleep being disrupted."

Rolling my eyes and shaking my head, I knew exactly who it was who had spoke. It was Torch, since the baby had been born he had gotten very little sleep and had been extra grumpy, grouchy and he had gotten meaner. I tried, I really had, to keep noises down, to keep the baby calm and quiet at night to no avail. Nowadays I had to sleep with one eye open in fear of waking up to finding a crisp, cooked baby in the crib in my and Six Shooter's room. I wasn't the only one getting worried, Six Shooter was too. He was also starting to get rather heated with Torch, one time I had had to break up a fight between them, it would have gotten ugly if I wouldn't have.

"Six Shooter, may I speak with you for a minute in private?" I asked my cowboy.

"Shur, jus' gimmee a minute to git cleaned up." he said.

It seemed way more than five minutes, what he really meant, before he walked into the living room where everyone else had vacated a minute before. The only ones in the room, beside me and Six Shooter, were our son and Torch, of whom I had asked to stay and listen. Six Shooter was wearing a white, pocket t-shirt with blue jeans, a black belt held them up, he had left his guns, all of them, on the dresser in our room after lunch, on his feet were his black cowboy boots, in one of his hands was his brown cowboy hat.

"I a-think I a-know what yer a-wantin' to talk to me 'bout." he said. "ol' Torch an' the young 'un."

"I swear at times I think you can read my mind!" I exclaimed, joking. "Yes, that was what I wanted to speak to you about. I'm beginning to get really worried."

"I a-wish I could tell ye that ye ain't a-got nothin' to be skeered or worried 'bout," the cowboy said with a sigh. "even I's a-gittin' a lil worried mahself."

"My main worry is if we move Four Way Shot into his room and he starts crying at night..." I started to say but stopped. "I don't want to walk into his room and find a cooked infant."

"You wouldn't have that worry if he didn't cry so damn much." Torch snarled.

"Ye ain't a-gonna find no lil 'un cooked Angel," Six Shooter said, he was eye-balling Torch. "I can assure ye o' that."

"You can assure her of that?" Torch said aloud, repeating what Six Shooter had said. "so what the hell ya gonna do Turd if I do do some baby cooking while you and your girlie sleep?"

Six Shooter had sat down in the brown chair that was to the side of the coffee table, Torch was sitting on the black leather chair, his flamethrower tapped the side of the chair every few minutes, his mouth would open every few seconds and he looked, to me, to be getting pissed. Me, I was sitting on the couch, with my son on my lap, he was trying to roll over so I was holding him right tightly, I wasn't holding him tight enough to hurt him, just to make sure he wouldn't fall. Torch was wearing his combat boots, his jeans only came down to his knees, the ends were a tattered mess, the shirt he was wearing was red, it was a muscle shirt, the muscle in his shoulders and arm could clearly be seen.

"I don't want my baby to be moved into his room until I know for certain that he is safe." I said, sternly.

"Now see here," Six Shooter spoke up quickly. "I a-worked hard on that room, he's a-movin' in tomorry."

"If we don't reach an agreement like today it won't be happening." I said. "I do not want my son to be hurt."

"An' he won't be." Six Shooter said, sliding forward in the chair.

"For crying out loud, you don't have to worry about me hurting the brat." Torch roared, he sounded hurt. "I'm tired is all, I'm not going to hurt the kid."

"Am I sure of that?" I asked the fireman. "I had to yank you away from the crib a few nights ago if I remember correctly."

"Girlie, if it makes you feel any fucking better I'll get one of the caretakers to get me some of those sleep aids." Torch snarled. "I mean, if it bothers you sooooo much about me bar b queing the brat..."

The room grew very quiet expect for Torch's heavy breathing. Torch had stopped his sentence to bring his hand up to his face, sighing deeply I stood up and gave Six Shooter his son. Six Shooter looked up at me with a confused look, I shrugged my shoulders at him then walked to Torch. When I got to him I did something I said I'd never do to him in person. I got down on my knees and wrapped my arms around his legs, placing my head on his lap. Six Shooter made a sound in his throat and Torch growled deeply before pushing me away gently.

"Ewww!" Torch growled. "Girlie germs!"

"I don't mean to sound so harsh," I said to him. "I'm not only worrying about my son, I'm also worrying about you."

"Sure you are." Torch grumbled. "Is this conversation over or am I suppose to sit here and hear more bullshit?"

"The conversations over with," I said. "I trust that you won't hurt my son."

Standing up and stepping back from the Fireman, I couldn't take my eyes from his face. He was not only drop dead gorgeous, at least to me, he was also very cute! He had one hell of a kick ass body, some had said he was pudgy but to me he looked to be very muscular, not as muscular as Pinhead but muscular enough to be able to wrestle with him. Torch slid from his chair and exited the room, seemed that one minute he was in the room and the next he wasn't. Hearing a sound, I turned around and looked at both my son and his father.

"Ye know," Six Shooter said. "ye didn't have to do that."

"Do what?" I asked.

"Grab his legs an' place yer head on his lap." Six Shooter said.

"I felt it was the appropriate time to do that." I replied, smiling a little.

"Uh huh," Six Shooter mumbled. "I a-bet."


	13. Chapter 13

It turned out that I didn't have anything to worry about at all, so far my son had been staying in his room at nights and Torch had stayed as far away from him and the door to both his room and Six Shooter's as he could. He had done what he had said, Brian, one of the caretakers that took care of the puppets, had went out to get some sleep aids of which Torch took half a pill each night every night, the baby still cried at night but he didn't wake Torch up anymore. It was now Blade that he kept up at night now. Blade's face, which was already white, looked to be even whiter now, the dark gray under and around the empty space where eyes would go looked to be darker and he walked sleepily. Unlike Torch, of whom had rushed in whenever the baby had cried when the baby had been in my and Six Shooter's room, Blade stayed in his and Judy's room, staring into the ceiling, hoping for a sleep that wouldn't come.

The baby was now six and a half months now, growing bigger it seemed by the day. He was now twelve and three quarter inches. I wondered, at times, how something that had been born not crying cry so much at night. Six Shooter and I hadn't said much to each other since I had laid my head on Torch's lap, he seemed quite mad at me, he was very distant. He spent more and more time with Four Way Shot, it seemed that I was no longer allowed to be near him unless it was time for a feeding. A few weeks ago I had gone off with my son to a hotel to visit my cousin, Amber, who was staying there with her baby. Four Way Shot had acted like the baby had been an alien, he had preferred staying near me instead of playing with George.

George turned out to a rather big baby, rather chunky, he made Four Way Shot to look like very tiny. George had brownish red hair, I guessed he had gotten it from his mother who had red hair and green eyes, and the blue eyes of his father who had skipped town right after his birth. I was still pissed at his father, Gregg, a cowboy that I had thought had been a good match for my younger cousin. When Amber had been six months pregnant she had phoned me and had told me the horror stories of how Gregg had treated her. How he had pulled and yanked her hair, smacked her in the face and stomach and had called her names. Personally, I thought Amber was a hole lot better off without the man, to me she could find a better man, a man who'd treat her the way she deserved to be treated.

"Hi Six Shooter." I said to my cowboy who was walking past.

"Hey."

My baby was bouncing up and down on his shoulder so I turned around and followed him, I just plain wanted to be around my son and the man who was his father. Although it was hard to say, coming from me, Six Shooter and I were family now, since we had a child. I didn't call him husband, fiance, I did call him my boyfriend but I never did say it around him, I said it to a select few. Reaching my hand forward, I patted my son on the head, he smiled back and squealed. Six Shooter stopped and turned around, when he looked at me it looked like he was telling me to back off so I did. When I walked into the kitchen my cell rang.

"Hey cousin!" Amanda exclaimed. "Long time, no talk, what's up with you?"

"Hi Am," I said. "just...sitting here wondering if I'll ever be able to hold my son again."

"Six Shooter dominating Four Way?" Amanda asked, shocked.

"Yeah," I sighed. "seems that after I laid my head on Torch lap he changed."

"Jealous, maybe." Amanda said with a laugh. "Was it a begging lay on the lap?"

"Yeah, I was begging Torch to not burn my son." I replied.

"How long's it been since that happened?" Amanda asked.

"A month." I sighed.

"Have you been able to hold Four Way any since then?" Amanda asked.

"Only when mealtime comes around." I said.

Amanda, I normally called her Am for short, and I were close enough to be considered friends in my family. She had met her cowboy the same time Amber had met hers and had gotten pregnant at the same time, but had given birth a few days before Amber's. Her son had her blond hair and brown eyes but he looked like his father. Cody and Four Way Shot had met one time a few weeks ago in secret, George had looked huge beside Four Way Shot, so had Cody.

"Maybe if you talk to him about it," Amanda suggested. "Four Way needs his mommai around him, the same as his didi."

"Mommai? Didi?" I exclaimed, laughing. "What the?"

"It put a smile on your face did it?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah, it did." I said. "I have to go, I will speak to Six Shooter tonight."

Speaking to Six Shooter was better said then done, I had had to chase him around all night long just to get a few words out and when I had tried to bring out the situation he had turned on me. So I left him alone until we went to bed. Before we went to bed I followed him into our son's room. Four Way Shot's room had blue walls with clouds and a blue rug. A dresser on one side of the room with the changing table with the trash can beside it was really what completed the room, there was no other furniture in the room beside the crib which was on the other side. It was a very nice, neat, organised room.

"Think we can talk, Tex?" I asked my cowboy.

"It's late," the six armed man beside me said. "lets git some sleep."

"Can we please talk for about ten minutes before we do?" I asked. "I really need to talk to you."

"Make it quick," my cowboy said.

"You mad at me for laying my head on Torch's lap?" I asked.

"No." Six Shooter said quickly.

"It seems, right after I did, you changed." I said. "Ever since I did that you've hardly let me spend any time with our son...or with you."

"It ain't that." Six Shooter said.

"You sure?" I asked. "Why else are you keeping him from me then?"

"I'mma teachin' him who he is darlin'." Six Shooter said.

"Teaching him who he is?" I repeated. "Huh? Like, what you just teaching him that he's the son of the greatest cowboy puppet of all time? I'm sure he knows that already."

"Teachin' him who his pa is darlin'," my cowboy said. "ye, too, have kept him from me."

"I have not!"

Sitting up in the bed, I pushed the cowboy until he fell to the floor. I had not been keeping my son from his father, a bunch of times I had placed him in the play pen for hours, Six Shooter had had the perfect opportunity to play with him then. Six Shooter also had the perfect opportunity to feed him when it came to mealtime, I kept asking him if he wanted to feed him and he kept saying no. Grabbing the sheets, I rolled over and tried to go to sleep.

"I s'pose ye done fergot that ye a-stole him a few weeks ago." Six Shooter said.

"I did not steal him," I shot back. "I took him to see a part of his family, there's a difference."

"Ye didn't tell me, to me that's a-stealin' mah young 'un." the cowboy said sleepily, he was crawling back into bed.

"Did you not see the note that I put on the fridge?" I asked.

"No, I a-did not." Six Shooter said. "Thar was no note on the fridge."

"There was no note on the fridge my left ass cheek!" I yelled. "I left you a fucking note telling you were I was, the number to call and how long I'd be gone."

"If ye a-put a note on teh fridge I would o' seen it." Six Shooter hissed.

"I taped it on the fridge, Tex." I snarled. "Don't tell me I didn't cause I did."

"Well ye believe what ye will," Six Shooter said, he was aggravated. "I a-saw no note."

Waking up early in the morning, the conversation that had happened the night before still heavy in my head, I snuck down to the kitchen and walked up to the fridge. The piece of tape that had held the note to the fridge was there, there was a small piece of paper still attached to it. Getting on my hands and knees, thinking that it had dropped to the floor and gone under the fridge, I looked for the note. Not finding it there, I looked under the small space under the counter and then under the table. When I still didn't find it I sat up on my knees.

"Maybe he did see and read it," I thought to myself. "the fight last night might have been all for nothing."

The trash can caught my eye, there was hardly anything in it so I looked inside. When I saw no note I sighed and started getting up. Something held against the under part of the bag, against the can, caught my eye. Gently putting my fingers on either side of it, I slowly and gently pulled it out, being careful to not rip it. When it came loose, I pulled it to my eyes, obviously it had been in the trashcan as it was quite dirty.

Six Shooter, took Four Way Shot to see one of his baby cousins.

Be back in half an hour, promise.

Love You, Angel.

Anger gripped me, Six Shooter had read the note, there was a dent in the paper were he had held it in one of his hands. Bolting up from the floor, I yelled for the cowboy to come down. It was six in the morning, way too early for everyone to be awake, so it was expected for everyone to yell for me to quiet up. Stewing over the read note, I shoved it in my pocket and started making breakfast.

"What's with all the racket?" Torch snarled. "It's six in the morning, can we not get some sort of extra sleep."

"By any chance did you see Six Shooter read a note that was on the fridge a few weeks ago?" I asked the fireman.

"Yeah, he read a note then threw it away, he looked mad about it." Torch said, yawning. "Why?"

"Cause he says he didn't."

Finishing the eggs and waffles that I was making, I turned around and motioned for Torch to take a seat. When he did I prepared for him a special plate, two waffles and extra eggs. My eggs, I placed extra cheese in and the waffles, I knew Torch well, he liked extra syrup so I made sure to extra syrup them. When I placed the plate down his eyes glowed bright red and his mouth dropped, as if in shock.

"Damn, girlie!" he exclaimed. "what's so special about today for me to have a meal like this?"

"It's special breakfast day for my best buddy!" I said with a smile.

"This'll make this early morning worth waking up early." Torch said, grinning. "Thanks!"


	14. Chapter 14

"Six Shooter, can you hand me that diaper please?" I asked.

Changing my sons diaper at times was difficult since he liked kicking his legs out and all over the place. He was seven months old and was growing stronger every day, just last week he had started crawling around. He was a fast crawler, you nearly had to run to keep up with him. The day before last I had put him in the walker, he had looked about for a few minutes then had started tottering towards the hallway. I could tell that it wouldn't be long before he'd have a more steady walk, the way he was progressing was incredible.

"Six Shooter..."I hissed. "will you hand me the diaper on the shelf please?"

Six Shooter and I hadn't been talking much lately, he had been acting very distant, at times all he do when he walked past was nod his head. He spent more and more time with his son, whenever I was allowed to spend any time with Four Way Shot he'd be off in another room. Looking over my shoulder, I saw my mate sitting in the brown chair, his lower hand tapping the arm slowly while the top held his head up, he looked impatient. Sighing loudly, I gently let one of my sons legs go and reached down to grab the diaper on the shelf, it was a good thing I had my other hand on him otherwise he'd of rolled himself off of the cleaning table. Quickly grabbing the diaper, I returned to my job and completed it quickly.

"Alright baby," I said to my son. "all done."

Slowly placing my son on the floor, I turned around and looked at his father who was slowly getting up from the chair. Two nights ago, instead of me sleeping in his bed I had slept on the couch, all lonely and cold. When I had woke up my back had hurt, the couch was a good one yes but my back wasn't friendly towards it being used as a sleeping area. Shaking my head, I walked out of the room and down the hall into Six Shooter's room.

Things started flowing into my mind quickly, me and Judy being asked to come stay with the puppets for awhile, me getting pregnant, me having my son and thinking he hadn't been born alive to find out a few minutes later that he was and the many weeks after he had been born. It seemed like yesterday that me and Judy had got here, that I had gotten a phone call from Six Shooter from one of Judy's cell phones. Feeling tears well up in my eyes I quickly layed down on the bed and covered my face in the pillow that Six Shooter slept on.

"Hey, it's my little nephew!"

In front of him was a ten pound dumb bell, when he saw his nephew crawl around the corner he quickly picked it up and set it to the side where it wouldn't hard the boy. His nephew was wearing a green pocket t-shirt, white socks and a diaper, the baby would always figure a way out of pants so his parents never put them on. Slowly sliding from his seat, Pinhead sat on his knees and waited for the baby to crawl towards him.

"Come here and see Uncle Pinny." he said gently.

The baby stopped crawling for a minute and looked at him, his brown eyes staring at him like he was trying to figure out who he was. After a minute the baby made a giggling sound then crawled off to the side, towards the living room. Smiling a little, Pinhead stood up and slid back into his seat and returned to lifting the weight.

"Glad to see that the weather has cooled off some," Leech Woman said. "getting a little tired of the over a hundred degree temps."

"I a-think we all is," Six Shooter replied. "the hosses especially."

"How's Belle doing?" Blade asked. "Yesterday she looked a little too hot."

"Shes a-fine," the cowboy said quickly. "I done give'd her plenty o' water."

"All of the horses have been acting a little sluggish lately," Blade sighed. "all of them sweaty from head to foot."

"All of them looked right tired yesterday," Leech Woman said. "even Banjo, it looked like he wanted to collapse after Six Shooter brought him in."

"I a-gave him a good washin' an' I done put a fan in all o' their stalls." Six Shooter said. "Angel's hoss, I a-think she a-likes that."

"When was the last time Angela rode her horse?" Judy asked.

"A ver' long time ago." Six Shooter replied, sadly. "She a-misses ridin' her hoss, I a-know that from lookin' at her."

Standing up and stretching, Six Shooter sighed loudly. The last few months he had been very busy with the animals and his son, he had very little time to be around his girl, the woman who had birthed him the child. He was under a lot of pressure and stress, from the morning hours to noon he'd work outside with the animals, feeding and checking on the pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, cows, bulls and horses, checking the traps, making sure the fences were sturdy and watching for predators that'd prey on his stock. When he got home he'd take a shower then scoop his son up and take him to a play room that he had build for him a few months ago, at times he'd find himself falling asleep in a chair while his son playing, he had nearly missed him start crawling a week ago. Shaking his head, he grabbed a canteen and headed out, he didn't notice that when he let the door go it caught on a hook.

"I suppose I'll return to my sewing," Leech Woman sighed. "I have something in mind for Four Way Shot."

"Speaking of the baby," Blade said gently. "here he comes."

Turning around slowly, her purple sash flowing from one shoulder to the next, Leech Woman smiled gently. Crawling around the couch was the baby. The baby stopped when he saw her looking at him, when he smiled she smiled wider. She still remembered him giggling the night he had been born, still remembered the quiet that had fallen when she had brought him in to see his parents for the first time. Slowly standing up, she walked towards the baby, who had decided to sit on the floor.

"Having a little adventure Indian Shooter Jones?" she laughed.

Leech Woman preferred calling her nephew Six Shooter Jr., she could tell that he'd be just like his father and would follow in his footsteps one day when he was older. Kneeling down, she placed one arm around her nephew and was about to pick him up when he decided to start crawling again. Laughing gently, she looked at him crawl away before returning to her seat on the couch. Blade had sat down in a chair across from her, he had a black book in his hands. Pulling the wad of wool to her lap, she unwove some and started working it into a piece of clothing.

Walking down the stairs, having gotten an hours worth of sleep, I slowly went towards the kitchen. It was nearly lunchtime, I could hear outside a horse whinnying and pawing at the ground. The heat the last two months had made all of the grass go from green and edible to brown, the horses refused to eat it so Six Shooter had started throwing in haybales, the cows were not as picky as the horses, I had sighted a few chewing on the few blades of grass a few days ago, Six Shooter also threw bales of hay in their pasture as the grass was sparse in some places. When I walked into the kitchen I noticed that the door was slightly opened, shaking my head, thinking that Six Shooter had opened it to let some outdoor air flow in, I closed it and slid the screen up.

"Right calm and peaceful," I said to myself. "I guess it's the wild weather we're getting."

The weather was right wild, in my born and raised state, Virginia, it'd be in the lower forties if not thirties at this time, here even the weatherman was speechless. It had gotten up to the high nineties, just three weeks ago it had gone up to a hundred and three degrees and had stayed there for three days straight. It had cooled down today, yesterday it had been eighty degrees, today it was sixty-nine degrees, with the weatherman saying it'd be seventy by three o' clock.

"Afternoon Judy." I said.

"I am glad that the meter decided to drop today," Judy exclaimed. "I think both you and me can agree that a hundred and above temps in December is a bit wacked."

"I guess it's just California," I replied. "it's warmer here than in Virginia."

"And Ohio!" Judy exclaimed. "Yesterday I looked it up and in Ohio they got over five feet of snow."

"I saw that Virginia got nearly that last week," I said. "Global Warming, gotta love it."

"Yep," Judy said. "what's for lunch today?"

"I overheard Six Shooter say something about chili last night," I said. "I think he'd like to have some."

"Make sure there's a window open." Leech Woman laughed, she was joking.

My mind soon flew from me finishing Six Shooter's lunch to my son, I figured Six Shooter had taken him to his room for a nap. Grabbing a bowl and some cereal, I had caught Four Way Shot playing with a box of cereal one day a few weeks ago so I figured it was time to switch from mush to slightly solid foods, he had enough teeth to chew with now, he had three on his top gum and two on his lower gum, he had gotten the first tooth on his lower gum when he was four months old. He had gotten a bit on the fussy side when the first tooth has come in, he had started drooling a lot more than usual and it seemed that just about every toy that he had around him he'd put into his mouth. At around the time he got the second tooth he had gotten a low grade fever.

"I suppose I will wake him up for lunch." I said.

"Wake who up?" Leech Woman asked.

"Four Way Shot," I replied. "I think he's been napping for a while."

"He's been crawling around for an hour and a half." Leech Woman said.

"He has?" I asked, shocked. I had really thought he had been sleeping. "Where is he?"

"He was in the living room the last time I saw him." Leech Woman replied.

Walking out of the kitchen, the kitchen door being left open was far out of my mind, I had caught my son in the kitchen only a few times, he knew that he was only allowed in there if there was an adult present, each time he had been in his walker. Getting on my knees, I looked in all of the places that he usually liked to play hide in.

"Angel," I heard. "whut are ye doin'?"

"Looking for your son." I said.

"I a-think I a-put him in the play room darlin'." Six Shooter said. "Check thar."

"Leech Woman said she saw him crawl into the living room."

Six Shooter stared at me for all of a minute before he started searching the living room, in five minutes we had looked everywhere in the room and had started going down the hallways, I had the hallway downstairs and he searched the one upstairs. The hallway that I searched was empty, no baby. The first room in my hallway was a bathroom, it was a small bathroom so all I had to do was open the door and look in. I didn't see my son in there so I started for the stairs.

"Angel," I heard Six Shooter yell. "mah son ain't up here."

"Well he isn't down here either." I yelled up.

"Have ye checked the washin' room?" Six Shooter yelled down.

I ran as fast as I could into the kitchen, the laundry room was right beside the kitchen, there was no door to the opening so I just walked in. Earlier I had dropped a basket of clothes on the floor, dropping to my knees I slowly and gently poked my hands into the clothes. When I found no baby in the basket I searched around. The small space between the washer and the dryer was empty, the space between the washer and the wall was empty, I was now starting to panic. Even though I knew my son wasn't in the washing machine or dryer, I checked them. Six Shooter raced in as I was closing the dryer door.

"Where the fuck is my son!" I yelled at him.

"I dunno," Six Shooter said, stepping back. "I done looked up stairs an' I double checked all o' the rooms down here."

"He's gotta be somewhere," I snapped. "he didn't disappear into thin air!"

Falling to my knees, I closed my eyes and thought real hard. I felt Six Shooter wrap his arms around me, he patted my back and I heard him speak into my ear to calm down. Shaking my head hard, I buried it into his shoulder and fought tears. I was like that for all of three minutes before I remembered that the kitchen door had been open when I had walked into the kitchen. Shooting up from the floor, flattening the cowboy to his back, I raced from the laundry room to the kitchen door. I heard Six Shooter curse and call me to come back.

"Four Way Shot!" I screamed into the yard.


	15. Chapter 15

I took three steps then fell to the ground, hard. My elbow screamed in pain, as did my right knee which gave me a lot of problems, my doctors had said I had arthritus in both it, my hands and my wrists. Hearing the door swing open then snap shut, I tried turning my head. Whenever I moved my shoulder would hurt so I stayed down, my eyes swept the yard, looking for my son who I believed was out here. A full minute passed before I felt six hands on my back.

"Angel, I a-want ye to go inside an' sit down." Six Shooter said. "I'll a-find our son."

"My ass!" I yelled. "I am not going to sit inside worrying about my son."

"Ye ain't a-got nothin' to worry 'bout darlin'." Six Shooter said in my ear.

"I am staying out here and I am going to help in finding my son!" I said, sitting up.

"Bruno..." Six Shooter yelled.

Pinhead had many nicknames but the one that was used most was Bruno, the man half walked, half ran, out of the house and down the few stairs to my side. Six Shooter pulled him to the side and whispered for him to take me inside and to keep me inside. With a hiss, I stood up and took a step, my knee screamed, so did my elbow, I ignored the pain and walked away from them towards the shed. I was nearly there when I collapsed.

"Six Shooter will find your son," Pinhead said to me a few minutes later. "don't worry."

"I keep hearing that but I am still worrying." I growled. "my sons out there and could get hurt."

"Tex has everything under control," Pinhead said confidently. "he has everyone out there looking for him as we speak."

Running from the stable to the cow barn that was beside it, his mind was racing wildly, thinking of all the places his son could be. A few minutes ago he had assisted in carrying his girl into the house, she had fought hard and had tried jumping from his arms, he was glad he had six arms instead of two. Looking across the yard, he saw three of his family members running from the other buildings on the property.

"Shouldn't o' left that dang door open!" he chided himself.

Throwing the cow barn's door open, he ran from one of the pens to the other, double and triple checking to see if his son was anywhere in them, hiding in the shadows. The stall in the back of the barn belonged to one of the bulls, an animal that was right dangerous at times. Swallowing hard, he pushed the door open and stepped in, with one of his hands he touched the bull on the side, letting the animal know that he was here. When he checked each corner, he saw no sign of his son. The water and food troughs were full, there was no baby in them.

"Well if ye ain't in here," he thought to himself. "whar is ye?"

Closing his eyes, he thought long and hard where his son was. The weather had made some of the plant life around the property fall, there were few plants with leaves on the land and those were on the edge of the house near the beach. Taking a few steps towards the front of the house, shaking his head, still chiding himself for leaving the door open, he made way to start searching the front yard, he hoped that instead of finding his son out in the wilderness, he'd get a call from his girl telling him that he had been found inside.

"Six Shooter," Leech Woman yelled.

Stopping cold in his tracks, his heart racing inside of him, he rushed back around the house to the back. Leech Woman was by the toolshed, it looked like she had something in her hands. Picking the pace up, seeing his girl hobble to the kitchen door, he reached Leech Woman's side quickly. When his eyes fell to the item in her hands, his mind went blank. In her hands was his son's shirt, somehow, it looked, he had gotten out of it.

"I found it hung on that bush," Leech Woman said, pointing at the bush beside the toolshed.

"Mah son..." he gasped, he couldn't get anything else out.

"We haven't found him yet." Leech Woman said.

In a fit of anger, he grabbed the shirt from Leech Woman's hands and holding it in his two lower hands, he spun on his heels and turned around. His eyes caught his girl who had somehow gotten out of the house. Stopping for a minute, his anger growing, shaking his head, he abandoned going around the house and went towards his girl.

"We're in this together Six Shooter." I said. "He's our son, not just yours."

"Angel," Six Shooter said, almost calmly. "go inside an' sit down, please."

"No." I exclaimed. "I am not going to sit inside and wait to hear news that I would like to avoid hearing."

"I a-will find him, Angel," Six Shooter said. "an' he ain't a-gonna be harmed when I do."

"Every second that rolls by," I said. "we could be using searching for our son. Lets quit talking and find him!"

Not wanting to fight anymore, I took a step in the direction Six Shooter had been going, I felt his presence and looked down, he was right beside me. I was limping badly, it seemed every time I did he'd press up against me. We rounded the house slowly, the wind had cooled to nearly nothing and the sun had decided to hide behind some clouds. When we got around the house, my heart stopped beating. Crawling quickly towards the road, without a shirt, was my son.

"Four Way Shot!" I shouted.

I took two steps then fell in a painful heap to the ground, Six Shooter shot off as fast as a bullet towards his son, it was like he was by my side one minute and about twenty feet from me the next. Four Way Shot was a fast crawler, I didn't know how long he had been out here, and I really didn't care, all I knew was that I was screaming my lungs out for Six Shooter to catch up and grab him, he was very close to the road and, as if to make matters worse, there was a big truck driving on the road.

Running as fast as he could, it seemed that his feet never touched the ground, seeing the truck speeding towards the spot his son was crawling towards made him want to run faster. He was thirty feet from his son, then twenty and then ten before he tripped up and fell to the ground hard, sliding on his elbows and cutting the sleeves opened. A gush of wind wooshed from his mouth, some blood as well. Hearing the trucks horn blast, he looked up fast and tried to get up.

It was almost like a horror novel, when I had seen Six Shooter fall I had tried getting up, my face slid on the ground and got cut deep, when I heard the horn of the truck blast I thought the worst. There was dirt in my eyes, I didn't really care though, I closed them and waited for a scream and breaks to squeal. A minute passed, then two, it felt like forever before I lifted my face from the ground. What I saw was incredible! Six Shooter was on the ground, still, and Four Way Shot was crawling towards him. Mustering the strength in my tired and sore muscles, I stood up and raced towards my fallen cowboy and my son.

"Gimme my baby!" I yelled.

I scooped my son up quickly and turned, Six Shooter was still on the ground. I ran-limped to the house and nearly kicked the front door in, my son started crying a little when I began to run up the stairs to his room. Pinhead walked from the kitchen and stopped when he saw me going the stairs, Leech Woman was on the floor I was heading for, when she poked her head from the baby's room I could tell that she had both worry and relief on her face.

"Is he alright?" she asked quickly.

"I don't know," I replied quickly. "I'm going to check him right now."

Placing him on the changing table, I gently pulled each arm up. I was amazed, he had not a scratch on him, there were no bruises on his body. Sighing loudly, letting my eyes slip into the back of my head, I thought that this was a very close call. Four Way Shot was still crying a bit, so when I opened my eyes I picked him up and cradled him in one of my arms. I was very tired so I sat down in the rocking chair that was in the room, my knee and hip hurt like hell! My son seemed to of felt that I was both hurting and worried, he grabbed my shirt in each hand and buried his face into the fabric. I placed my head on his and kissed him gently.

Walking into the room, his body aching, Six Shooter stared at his girl who had her head on the back of the rocking chair. His son was turning his head from side to side, his mother had wrapped him up tight so he couldn't get away. Shaking his head, he walked forward and gently pried her hands from his son and picked him up. Walking over to the only other chair in the room, he sat down and crossed one of his legs over the other.

"Son," he said. "I dunno whut ye done had goin' through yer lil' head, but ye shur did skeer yer ma an' me today."

He didn't know if his son was listening or not, he was very quiet and still, a first as whenever he was awake he'd be moving, the only time he wouldn't be moving was when he was sleeping. His son wasn't wearing a shirt, all he was wearing was a diaper. Sighing deeply, making one lip bigger than the other, he started bouncing his son on his lap.

"I dunno whut yer ma or me would do if we a-lost ye, son." he said. "but, the next time ye a-do that I'll a-be left with no other choice but to give ye a spankin'."

Pushing himself up from the chair, every muscle aching and screaming, he carried his son to the crib where he placed him down for a nap. His son seemed to of understood, he rolled over, grabbed the little pinto horse that his mother had given him and fell asleep real quick. Turning his attention to his girl, he felt every muscle scream no. Walking towards her, he placed his arms around her and super gently and slowly picked her up, when he left the room with her he heard his son hiccup.


	16. Chapter 16

Things were quiet between Six Shooter and I the next few days, he had spent a lot more time inside tending to things that the baby needed. I was surpised as he usually preferred yard work over house work, I had caught him changing the baby's diaper a few times and I had sighted him feeding the baby once or twice. Always quiet, silent as can be, not a word coming from his mouth to his son. It had taken him a full day for his muscles to stop aching, it had taken a little longer for me. My elbow had healed, my knee was still giving me problems. I was limping badly, each step it felt like my leg would give out.

"Cleaning your guns?" I asked, breaking the four day silence.

"Gots to git 'em ready fer calvin' time darlin'." Six Shooter replied. "ain't a-wantin' mah guns to not work if a Coyote attacks one o' our cows."

"What about Foxes and Cougars?" I asked. "I've heard from our neighors that they've been sighted."

"Ain't a-seen any 'round these parts Angel." Six Shooter said. "But I'mma keepin' mah eyes open jus' in case."

Six Shooter had put up a fence in front of the kitchen, barring Four Way Shot from entering the room. Four Way Shot was crawling around in the living room, he had started to stand a few times but hadn't taken any steps. Six Shooter was sitting on the couch, a table in front of him with all the cleaning items he needed to clean his guns, all six of his Colt .45's were lain on the table.

"Ain't a-wantin' one o' mah guns explodin' while I'mma holdin' it." Six Shooter said.

My head was burried in my sewing, Six Shooter had torn a few pairs of his pants and had asked me to sew them up, one of them I had sewn a patch in the knee, since the knee was torn wide open. I guess it had happened when he had fallen a few days ago. There was only one other in the room besides us, Tunneler was watching a war movie, his black eyes starred into the screen as one of the army men in the film raced from his sheltered spot towards an animal that was caught in a river trying to reach his mother on the other side. Tunneler was wearing a camafloughed shirt and light brown pants, he still wore his movie boots.

"One o' mah guns is a-rusted up real bad here," Six Shooter was saying. "I'll a-clean it but I'mma gonna use another o' the guns I ain't a-used in awhile."

"I know I shouldn't be bringing this up at this time, at his age," I said. "but when are you going to start teaching him how to shoot a gun?"

"When he's a lil' bit older." Six Shooter replied.

"How much older?" I asked.

"I guess three, maybe four years." my cowboy said, not taking his eyes from the gun he was cleaning.

The solvent that Six Shooter was using was off to the side of the table, he was holding one of his guns, bringing a cloth over it, cleaning it of oils that would eat the bluing. The rag he was using was one of the cloths I'd get at the optomitrist, a simple eyeglass cleaning cloth. Six Shooter had a kit he'd take things from from time to time. Solvents, gun oil, patches, rods and ends. The cylinders of each gun had been removed to make sure that one wouldn't fire while he was cleaning it. Watching him from the corner of my eye I saw him slowly pour in a cap some of the solvent.

"If mah son is a-climbin' mah leg he a-best stop." Six Shooter said all of a sudden. "I ain't a-needin' mah 'tention's takin' from mah guns right now."

Pulling my eyelids up, they had dropped a little, I saw that my son had one of his hands on Six Shooter's leg, it looked like he had his hand around the pants legs and was trying to pull himself up. Laughing a little, I got up from my chair, putting my cowboys pants to the side, and walked towards him. Four Way Shot turned towards me and stared at me for all of a minute before crawling away. Shrugging my shoulders, I turned around and went back to repairing Six Shooter's pants.

"I swear you grab his attention more than I do at times." I said jokingly.

"Prolly jus' a-wantin' to know whut I'mma doin' is all darlin'." my cowboy said. "jus' curious."

Six Shooter was getting a lot of gunk out of one of his guns, the barrel must have been right dirty as every time he brought the wad of tissue out it'd be gunky, the cylinder had been cleaned before and it had been right dirty as well. After he applied the solvent to that gun he left it to start work on another. Before he was done with the third gun he stopped and looked down. Pulling my head up, I saw that my son was pulling himself up, using his father's leg to steady himself.

"Darlin', I a-can't have him climbin' mah leg." he said. "can ye a-put him in the walker or somethin'?"

"I'll relocate him, yes." I said. "but I'm not going to restrict him to one place."

"Jus' move him darlin'," Six Shooter exclaimed, impatient. "I needs to git this work done."

Four Way Shot must have heard his father, once I was up from my chair he crawled off around the couch. He had gotten much stronger, his crawling had gotten much faster and he was starting to stand a little. He was eating like crazy nowadays, it seemed that once somethig edible was in front of him it'd be gone in an instant. Plopping down, once again, in my chair, I pulled the pair of pants I was working on and began working on them again. It seemed, once I had fixed the knee that I found a new area to work on.

"Eating too many beans lately honey." I said with a laugh.

"Say agin darlin'," Six Shooter asked, looking up from the gun he was cleaning.

"You been eating too many beans lately." I repeated.

"I ain't a-been ettin' any beans darlin'." Six Shooter said, shaking his head.

"Really then why's there a nice big rip in the back of this pair of jeans?" I asked.

Six Shooter started laughing loud when he saw the rip in the back of his pants, it really was funny as he rarely got any tears in the seat. I had patched up two pairs of pants of his since staying with him. Shaking my head, laughing still, I began sewing the rip. I was engulfed so much in the pair of pants, and Six Shooter was so engulfed with cleaning the gun in his hands, that neither of us saw our son stand up, his top hands grasping the end of the table. Only when Four Way Shot reached his hand forward, trying to grab the gun nearest him, did Six Shooter notice.

"Uh uh lil un'!" he exclaimed. "yer too leetle."

"Takes after you," I said, smiling with pride. "he's mister gun snatcher."

"He a-needs to be moved darlin'," Six Shooter said again. "a-fore he gits hurt."

Before I could stand up, Four Way Shot turned around and very shakily took a step away from the table. Six Shooter wasn't looking and couldn't see what was going on, he was back cleaning his guns. Four Way Shot took one more step before falling to the floor, he crawled off towards a box of toys that I had brought in from the playroom. Shaking my head quickly, I sat back down in my chair, this time I did not pull Six Shooter's pants back to my lap. A quiet settled over the room, no one, even my son, said a word or made a sound.

"A lot of things happen with your head down." I said after ten minutes.

"Say agin Angel," Six Shooter requested. "I's almost done here."

"I said, you miss a lot of things with your head down." I repeated. "Your son just took two steps from the table before falling to the floor."

"He's a-gittin' stronger by the day Sugar," Six Shooter said. "he'll prolly be walkin' by next week."

The last item I needed to sew was Six Shooter's shirt, he had a rather large rip on one of the sleeves. I supposed it had happened one day outside when he had been bringing in one of the goats, a she-goat had delivered twins a week ago, a dark and a light, both female. A few of the animals had delivered last week. A she-goat, a sheep and two of the sows. The sow had delivered fifteen piglets, Six Shooter had walked in with one after they had been born and had plopped it in front of Four Way Shot, saying and joking that the baby pig was his new friend. Four Way Shot had looked at the piglet, a pretty dark female, then had turned around, tryng to crawl away. The cows were next in line, there were three that were pregnant and it looked like one would deliver soon.

"I can already see Four Way Shot chasing around the yard, chasing the chickens and the pigs." I said, nearly to myself. "He'll probably be doing that when he turns two."

"The rate he's a-goin' darlin'," Six Shooter said. "he'll a-be chasin' 'em a-fore he turns two."


	17. Part 3: Fire Discovery

"Four Way Shot," I shouted out the window. "come in, it's dinner time."

Even though the light was dim outside, I could still see the shadow of my son running after the chickens. The chickens, Rhode Island Reds and an old rooster named Red, slept in a home built chicken coop that had been built a few of years before I had come to the ranch, the rooster was the first rooster Six Shooter bought, the chickens were new ones as a few weeks ago, somehow, a fox had gotten into the coop and had eaten them, the rooster had been lucky that night, Six Shooter had found him clutching one of the boards the next morning, scared to death.

"Four Way Shot," I called out again. "I'm not gonna say it again, come inside."

Running after the chickens was one of his favorite activities, he loved running after some of the stock on the ranch. It drove his father insane at times, one time he had chased the goats so bad they ran at the fence, busting through. It had taken his father a few hours to catch and re-corral them, when he had finished he had pulled him to the side and had told him to quit chasing the goats. He had said he would, but what his father didn't know was that he had had one of his hands behind his back, his fingers crossed. Halting in his tracks, making dust, he turned around and looked at the lighted window that a woman was calling from. Being four years old, he forgot a lot of things, at times he forgot who his mother was and would be caught calling her by her first name instead of mom. Shrugging his shoulders, straightening his shirt collar and making sure his shirt was tucked in, he turned around fully and began walking back to the house.

"Whut's fer supper?" he asked once he was inside the house.

"Clean up and you'll find out." his mother said. "Blade..."

"Yes," Blade said quickly.

"Your daughter looks like she's about to spin her cup over upside down," his mother said. "please keep an eye on her, I just got through washing the floor."

"Giving me orders?" Blade barked. "I'll keep an eye open."

"Not giving orders," his mother said, sighing loudly. "I just don't want to re-do the floor because of her spilling her chocolate milk."

"Slacia," Blade hissed. "tilt the cup up, not down."

His sister was nearly three years old, she had a full head of copper silver hair, it came all the way down to her shoulders. His sister looked exactly like her father, his uncle who was wearing nothing but black. She had silver eye spikes, a skull face and she had been born with a very poisonous knife. His uncle had made a special point in getting her made a hand to replace the knife, he had it on a handle in his room, the handle was under the one he put his weapons, a knife and a hook, on. Before he exited the room to clean up, he looked at his sister, she was wearing all black as well, a pair of black slacks and a black shirt. Shaking his head, not watching his step, he walked into one of his uncles who was walking around the corner.

"Watch were you're going you little brat!" he barked.

His uncle didn't mean to be mean, he had been stirred from his sleep earlier by him crowing and making a lot of noises by his window. He had discovered when he was two that he could climb, Before his uncle's alarm clock went off at eight, he'd be by his window every morning. At about seven he'd pull all of his arms back, putting his hands under his armpits, and start crowing like a rooster. His uncle would always wake up cursing and throwing his arm and flamethrower around. One time his uncle had thrown open his window and had shouted into the morning for everyone to shut up, he had very nearly been caught that day.

"Sowwy uncle Pyro," he said, pulling back a step.

"Get outta my way!" his uncle said angrily.

His uncle elbowed his way past him, pushing him a little into the wall. Four Way Shot shook his head and stuck his tongue out at his backside, he found that funny. Laughing a little inside, he walked around the corner to the bathroom where he washed his hands and face. He dressed very nearly identical to his father, he was wearing a blue button up shirt with a blue kerchief around his neck and blue jeans. Holding his jeans up was a black belt, hanging from it were two hollisters, there were no guns in them, he wasn't allowed to touch a gun yet. There was a black vest over his shirt, two more hollisters hung from it, empty, the same as the others. On his feet were black boots with gold spurs on the heel and on his head was a black cowboy hat.

"Four Way Shot," his mother called. "hurry up, we're all waiting for you."

"Yes Ang...I a-mean ma." he corrected himself quickly.

"Hurry up boy!" his uncle called. "I'm hungry in here, no one can eat until you get your ass in here!"

Running frm the bathroom, tripping and nearly falling on the floor, he raced into the kitchen and plopped himself in the chair beside his father. Looking up, he caught his father's eye looking at him. His father and he had the same colored eyes, brown, and he had his father's hair, painted brown. His mother and aunt called him Jr. from time to time because he looked exactly like his father except for missing two more arms. His father was wearing a green button up long sleeve shirt with a brown vest that held four hollisters over it, the guns he had removed before he had sat at the table, he also wore blue jeans, a black belt held them up, hanging from the belt were two more hollisters, empty, and on his feet were black boots with gold spurs behind them at the heel. Around his father's neck was a green kerchief and on the back of his chair was his black cowboy hat.

"Yer hat," his father said. "take it off son."

He was much to slow in removing his hat so his father raised one of his hands and slapped it off. His hat fell to his lap, when he picked his hat up and placed it on the back of his chair he caught his father's eye on him again. He had been getting on his father's nerves that last few days, on Monday he had been caught trying to steal one of the chickin his shirt and on Tuesday he had been caught reaching his hand into the cookie jar after he had been told no, on Wednesday he had followed his uncle, Torch, at a distance, he had only been caught when his uncle had turned around suddenly. He was the only male child on the ranch, and at times got right lonely, having only his sister to play with he got pretty bored. All she wanted to do was get him to dress up or play house. He was getting right tired of those games, lately he preferred just sitting or running around the ranch, driving everyone crazy.

"Ye an' ma a-gonna make me a lil' bro one o' these days?" he asked.

"No," his father said quickly. "et a-fore I tells ya to git up to yer room, almost yer bedtime."

"Ah come on pa," he begged. "kin I stay up fer jus' one night?"

"No." his father said quickly.

"I ain't a-gonna git in the way," he said just as quickly. "I'll a-be quiet, ye ain't a-knowin' I's in the room."

"No, son." his father said, a hint of aggitation in his voice. "ye et now."

"But pa..." he said, pulling his fathers arm sleeve.

"So, Six Shooter," his mother interrupted. "the cows ready to be brought in yet?"

"Not yet," his father replied. "jus' a few more weeks an' I'll a-be drivin' some in fer shippin'."

"Does ye got to ship 'em pa?" Four Way Shot asked. "Some o' them cows look purdy."  
"Son, it a-don't matter if they's purdy or not," his father said, sighing hard. "some o' 'em cows we'll a-be keepin' an' some o' 'em we a-ship out."

"Whar do they go?" he asked, mouth full of steak.

"Cow house," his father said. "don't ye a-be talkin' with yer mouth full."

"Whut do they do thar?" he asked, he swallowed the steak in his mouth and began cutting a new slice.

"Let's jus' say we a-git our meat from that thar house son." his father said quickly.

"Huh?" Four Way Shot asked, confused.

"I'll a-tell ye when yer older," his father said. "et son a-fore it gits cold."

Some of the cows that his father drove in every year were right pretty, black and white, brown and white, spotted, solid colors and at times solid colors with a white face. His father only kept a few of the cows in each batch every year. Last year he had kept a spotted, a yellow solid, a dark brown and a red cow, he had sent the rest off. All of the cows he shipped out never returned, he imagined his father sent them off to a special breeding barn where he had specialists breed them and then ship the resulting babies to people that needed top cow stock.

"Storm's a-comin' this way tomorry," his father said. "I a-put all o' the animals in thar pens an' I'mma a-gonna check on them cows a-fore breakfast."

"The cows looking fit?" his mother asked.

"Nice an' round an' fat," his father said. "I'll a-be bringin' 'em in soon."

"Kin I come too?"

The table grew silent, everyone dropped their heads and looked at their plate except for him and his father. His father had finished eating, his plate had been pushed forward and he was sitting with one of his arms over the back of the chair. He pulled towards him and starred at him hard, pushing his head into his shoulders, he poked his forked into a potato and started playing with it. His sister made a giggle then threw her spoon, full of potato, at his uncle across the table from her. Once it hit him, he shot up, his eyes flashed and he growled loud.

"I am so glad I don't have any squealing, screaming, spoon throwing brats to deal with," his uncle yelled. "all of this shit I cannot handle!"

"Go get cleaned up Torch," his mother said. "Blueberry Cheesecake for dessert, your favorite."

"Put it on a plate and bring it to my room," his uncle growled. "I will not be eating it in here. Next thing I'll know is the little shit over there will throw a spoonfull of her dessert at me."

Watching his uncle walk out of the kitchen, Four Way Shot wondered what it'd be like if he did have a kid. Uncle Blade had said he didn't care for kids yet he had one, his aunt, Judy, had given him a daughter in June two years ago, she had birthed the baby at night, with only Leech Woman, Blade, Jester and a caretaker present. Everyone else had been out that day, dealing with a problem bull who needed medical attention.

"Quit starrin' an' finish yer food." his father said. "I a-may let ye stay up fer another hour, depends if yer good or not."

"Yippee!" Four Way Shot exclaimed.


	18. Chapter 18

"Four Way," his mother called. "where are you?"

Running down the ramp from the hayloft, Four Way Shot raced across the barn into one of the vacant stalls. His father had been preparing the stall he was in, he figured that it was because of Belle, the chocolate colored mare with a light colored mane and tail and a stripe running down her nose that his uncle, Blade, rode from time to time, as of late his uncle hadn't been riding her. The mare mostly stayed in her stall, she had been allowed out a few times to graze but she had always been on a line, she was growing a bit on the heavy side lately. One night a few months ago his father had had to set free all of the horses from the barn, somehow the hay in the loft had caught fire and had blocked the back escape, his mother had said that night that if his father wouldn't have done that all of the horses wouldn't be living. Belle and his father's stallion, Banjo, had come home last, Banjo leading Belle, nipping at her flanks with his ears flat against his head and with a mean look in his eyes. His father had had to use a different chain on the stallion that night to calm him down, the stallion had kept everyone up the entire night with his screaming when he had been put back into his stall, all alone.

"Four Way Shot, come out, it's time for a bath." his mother said.

The word bath made him want to hide even more, he did not like taking a bath, neither did he like napping. He preferred staying up to see and do things and he preferred running around getting dirty. When his mother walked past the stall he was in he giggled then ran out, when she turned around his was nearly out of the barn. He was a fast runner, but still not as fast as his father or mother. It seemed that with three steps his mother caught up to him. When she encircled him with her arms he started kicking out.

"Now stop that," his mother said sternly. "you're father is out, he won't be back until morning and you need to behave."

"Why did pa leave agin?" Four Way Shot asked.

"Your father made me promise to not tell you." his mother said softly into his ear. "it's a surprise, that is all I am allowed to say."

"Whut kind o' surprise?" Four Way Shot asked, excited. "I a-like surprises!"

"Then lets get you inside and clean," his mother said. "you're father said clearly that he wanted you to look your best for tomorrow."

He went to bed that night after his bath but didn't go to sleep, his mind was driving him insane! Something told him that the surprise that his father had in store was for him. It was two months before his birthday, a little chilly outside and windy from time to time. The room he was in was the room he had been moved in when he was a baby, it was very much different from what it did when he was a few months old. On the left side, against the wall, was his bed, there were blue blankets and sheets on it with a blue pillow. Beside his bed was a small bedside table, on top of it was a lamp, the base was a bay horse raised on his hind legs, a western saddle and rope on the saddles horn, a fence behind it, the lamps shade was a sunset, with a cowboy aside his horse watching as two more cowboys rode off. On the other side of his room was a long dresser, dark brown in color. As with other dressers, the drawers were full with his clothing, on top of the dresser were a few horse statues, collectibles and a ranch that he had built himself. He was rather proud of the ranch, the house in the center looked almost like the one he and his family lived in except the roof was gray instead of brown. Around the house was a light brown fence, a barn with a horse figure coming out of the door in the center with a cow barn beside it. A little ways back from both barns were corrals, one housed goats, another housed sheep and another had pigs, a chicken coop was to the far left with chickens pecking at the ground, a fox stalking them in the short stalks of grass that he had pulled up from the ground and glued to the base. Most of the animals in the arrangement he had grabbed from his own collections, they weren't glued down, he could pick them up and put them in a different place. His walls, half was yellow and half was blue, and the floor was carpeted blue, matching the bottom color of his walls. His head was resting on one of the stuffed horses that his mother had given him when he was a baby, Even though his mother had called the stuffed animal Margarine, he preferred to call it a different name. The animal, a bay with black mane and tail, he called Zorro, after one of his and his father's favorite movies. The other stuffed horse, to his side, a black and white pinto with dark black, beautiful eyes, his mother had called Hopscotch. He called her a different name, Lolita, after the governor's beautiful niece that he had been romancing in The Mark of Zorro.

"Four Way Shot..." he heard being shouted. "wake up in there, it's nearly eight."

Hearing his mother's words, he shot up out of bed, out from the covers, and fell to his rear on the floor. Grabbing a shirt, he tugged that around himself and started buttoning it up, he was on the last button when it fell off. Shrugging his shoulders, he grabbed a fresh pair of jeans and started getting into them, pulling his door open, he jumped out, one leg fully in his jeans and the other not. Before he got to the stairs he felt the fingers of someone on his neck.

"Whoa there now," he heard. "that's a good way of either breaking a neck or a leg."

The uncle that had grabbed him was the strongest in his family, the muscles in his arms and shoulders bulged, it looked like he was going to burst out of the orange sweater he was wearing. Stopping long enough to pull his jeans up all the way, before he made his way down the stairs he went back to his room and grabbed his vest, his belt and his boots. Carrying all of these items in his arms, he went down the steps quickly.

"I done slept in," he exclaimed. "did I a-miss mah pa?"

"Calm yourself Four Way," his mother said calmly. "you're father called twenty minutes ago, he's about thirty minutes from here so you have plenty of time to eat breakfast and get cleaned up."

"Cleaned up?" Four Way Shot said, one eyebrow raised. "I done took a bath yesterdee."

"I meant," his mother said. "clean your face up to get fully awake."

He found his breakfast a little lighter than usual, a pancake with syrup with a glass of milk, usually he'd also have a piece of sausage and some eggs but today they were missing. He didn't mind, once he was finished he cleaned his hands and face, like his mother told him, and then went out. His father usually fed the animals, he was absent today so he grabbed a bucket and went to work. His muscles were young, undeveloped so he took a lot of breaks, putting the grains and pellets in the bucket was easy, carrying the bucket was another. When it came to feeding the chickens all he did was grab some corn and grain and sprinkle it on the ground, the chickens ran to the kernels and quickly started pecking the ground. The sheep and goats ate, at times, something different than the grains that the horses and chickens ate, from time to time they'd get a few beets, today he found a bucket full of beets, when he poured half into the sheep's trough they leaped up in the air, the goats did the same. When he ran to the water hose, the water bucket in hand, he felt the vibrations of a very large truck.

"Daddy, daddy look," he heard his sister call in a giggle-voice. "what big truck!"

Turning around, he looked in the direction his sister was looking, a big truck pulling a trailer was driving into their yard. The trailer that the truck was pulling was a small one, probably big enough to fit one maybe two horses, it was painted red with a white stripe on the sides. The truck was, indeed, a big one. It was colored red with a very bright silver bumper, the tires looked huge! In the front seat, he could see, were two people. The truck drove up to the barn, stopping at the entrance, when the passenger side door opened, his father jumped out.

"Whar's mah son?" he heard his father call.

He didn't remember walking forward, all he remember was that he was at his father's side, the bucket still in his hands. His father smiled down at him and gently took the bucket from him, setting it to the side. When he heard the door on the drivers side close, he blinked his eyes and took a few steps towards the trailer. His father grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back when he was a few steps from him.

"Whoa thar," his father said. "ye stay here."

The human that had been driving the truck was almost as big as his uncle, it looked like his muscles were threatening to burst forth from his jacket, the sleeves on his jacket had been cut off, under the jacket he wore a red t-shirt, he could see the outline of a tattoo on his left arm. His lower half, dressed in jeans with brown boots, was slim, it didn't look like it matched his top half. The man had dark blue eyes, medium length blond hair and a pointy nose. When both his father and the man walked around the trailer, he could hear his father say something, he could have sworn that his father had said the word horse.

"Son!" his father yelled.

"Yeah pa," Four Way Shot replied.

"Cover yer eyes." his father ordered.

Slapping his hands, all of them, over his eyes, he tuned his ears into his surroundings. He could hear hooves against metal and a whinny, a high pitched whinny. Shivering a little, it seemed like forever since he had covered his eyes. He felt like jumping up and down, there were four horses living on the ranch, three that were owned by his father and one that belonged to his mother, he had a feeling that a new horse was about to call the ranch home.

"Alrighty son," his father said, he sounded close. "open yer eyes."

He felt like fainting after he opened his eyes, excitement flowed through his body. Standing in front of him, a long purple rope leading from his fathers fingers to the halter that was around the Equines head, was a very beautiful gold coated horse with a dark brown mane, the horse's dark brown colored tail swished over his rear legs a few times, and dark brown stripes on the animals legs. Smiling widely, he walked forward, his hand outstretched, and gently touched the nose of the animal.

"Fer me?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"It's early," his father said. "but happy birthday son."

"Whut's his name?" Four Way Shot asked.

"Her, an' that's up to ye." his father said.

The mare had a fly mask over her face, over the halter, so he couldn't see her eyes. Her nostrils were flared, her ears were held up high, they nearly touched at the tips, and she was swishing her tail around her body a few times, she was pawing at the ground with one of her front legs, she was nervous he guessed. The mare had a blanket around her body, it was purple colored with black straps. Around her legs, from her knees down, were shipping boots, he guessed they were to protect her legs on the way here. Stretching his other hand forward, he slid it around the mares lead rope. He didn't know what sparked the mare, but once his fingers wrapped around the rope she went up with a scream.

"Whoa thar," his father said after calming the mare down. "ain't nothin' to be skeered of."

"What's going on out here?" his mother asked, walking forward.

"Nothin'," his father replied. "jus' mah son's hoss gittin' a lil skeered."

"I think our son is more scared of the horse than the horse is scared of our son."

His mother was right, when the mare had gone up he had ran off inside the barn a ways. His father made a clicking sound then led the mare in, when they passed him his father glared at him with his left eye. The mare flicked her tail one more time, it caught him in the chin and it kind of stung a bit. The mare, from behind, looked really fat, a lot more bigger than Belle! Turning his head to the side, he shrugged his shoulders then turned around. He was out of the barn and heading towards the chicken coop, intending to collect the eggs, when his father called his name.

"Son," his father said when he caught up to him.

"Yeah pa," he replied.

"Next time yer around that mare," his father said. "be a lil more shur o' yerself."

"She a-caught me off guard," Four Way Shot said. "ain't a-gonna happen agin."

"Bes' not," his father said. "because that mare an' her foal is yers."

The word foal made him stop and turn around, he had seen pictures and tv shows on foals but he had never seen on in person. Smiling widely, for the second time, he encircled his father in a tight hug. His father patted him on the back a few times before taking a step towards the chicken coop, Four Way Shot could have sworn that his father had winked at him while he walked past. Turning around, he walked back towards the barn, he intended to spend some quality time with the mare that his father had brought home. Before he entered the barn, he turned his head to the side, looking right. Looking right at him, his eyes blazing bright ruby red, was his uncle. His uncles jacket was open, the belt was unbuckled, the grey shirt underneath could clearly be seen. His uncle raised his hand and made a motion with his index and pinky, his middle, ring and thumb tucked, saying that he was watching him closely.


	19. Chapter 19

Watching his father bring the brush over the mare that he had brought home two days earlier, Four Way Shot could tell that the mare was either full or nearly all Quarter Horse. Yesterday he had walked into the barn and had seen her eating hay from the trough that was in her stall, he could definately tell why his father had put her in the bigger of the stalls in the barn, if she would have been put in a normal sized stall she'd be very uncomfortable. Belle was beside her, his father had moved her that morning before he had woke up. Belle and the new horse, he had named her Mae, did not get along. Whenever Mae would stick her head out of her stall, Bell would rush forward with her teeth ready to rip into her flesh. Across the stall were the other two mares, a pretty red roan whose legs and face were red and the rest of her body was red, almost pink, her mane and tail were red with very few pink and white hairs thrown in and his mother's horse, a chestnut of fourteen hands who had a star and snip on her nose. The red roan was the oldest horse on his father's ranch, nearly fourteen years old, her name was Strawberry. The chestnut mare, who belonged to his mother, her name was Madonna and she was a Quarter Horse Mustang, Strawberry was pure Quarter Horse.

"Is she a-gonna have a colt?" he asked his father. "or a filly?"

"I'mma hopin' fer a colt," his father said. "she's a-carryin' a good 'un I think."

"Bred fer color?" Four Way Shot asked.

Four Way Shot knew that at times humans bred horses for color instead of smarts or speed, there was a ranch down the road that he had heard specialized in breeding spotted horses. He knew that some humans bred Thoroughbreds for speed and he knew that the Nez Perce Indians had bred Appaloosa horses for color, he also knew that the Arabian horse was considered the smartest horse. Looking at the back of his father, he wondered if his father had bought the mare then had had her bred before she was driven over.

"Nah, not fer color." his father said. "A combination o' ever'thang I s'pose."

"Ye payed to git her bred pa?" Four Way Shot asked.

"She a-was bred a-fore I bought her, son." his father said.

"How long?" Four Way Shot asked, he had a feeling his father was getting tired of him asking him questions.

"A-fore she gives birth?" his father replied. "not long."

Taking a short walk around the mare, his father had taken the blanket from her and had combed her coat real well, it shone brightly in the sun, the mare's hooves were either dark brown or black, it looked like she didn't have shoes on. When he had walked into the stall at nine he had seen his father move from her underbelly, it looked like he had been scratching her belly with one of his hands, the other top hand had been smoothing her side, the mare had been tied up to a post, a hind hoof held off the floor of the barn a little.

"She a-was bred to 'un o' the grandkids o' ol' Doc Bar." his father said.

"Huh?" Four Way Shot said, confused.

"She's a-havin' a lil Doc Bar foal, son." his father repeated.

Hearing the name Doc Bar made him get excited, he had read about the stallion and he knew him well. He knew that mares that had him in their pedigree sold for up to eight thousand, some up to ten thousand. Being that the mare had a Doc Bar foal in her, he guessed that his father had payed a lot of money for her. Grabbing a fence post, he climbed up, when he got within touching distance of the mare he placed his hand on her side, she shifted her weight and looked back, one ear swiveling forward and the other back, he could tell that she was curious. Smiling a bit, he gently brought his hand over her side.

"I a-payed a good lil penny fer her," his father was saying. "tried talkin' the feller sellin' her down to five thousand an' he a-said no."

"With the foal she's carrying," a female voice said. "I'm surprised you got her for the price you and the guy agreed on."

Nearly falling from the post his top arm and lower arms were around, Four Way Shot looked back and saw his aunt, Leech Woman, walk towards his father with what looked to be a bucket of water. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a purple shirt, her black hair was held back in a high ponytail. His father turned around quickly and made a motion with his hands, telling her to not say a thing more. He guessed that he was only to know that she was priced above five thousand. The mare turned her head around and poked it out the door, when she did Belle whinnied and rushed forward, if his father wouldn't have been there Belle would have taken a nice bite out of Mae's head.

"Now, that's enuff." his father said to the dark colored mare.

"Belle ain't ever snapped at ol' Strawberry or Madonny," Four Way Shot said in a whisper. "how come she's a-snappin' at Mae?"

"Cause she's a-havin' a foal as well." his father said quickly. "Ol' Banjo done did her good."

His father laughed a bit before going back to grooming Mae, Belle snorted in her stall and stamped her foot down hard. Belle had Rocky Mountain Horse, Quarter Horse and Throughbred blood in her, her father had been a Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred cross and her mother had been a pureblood Rocky Mountain Horse, he knew from pictures that she had gotten her coat color from her mother, who had a light mane and tail with a dark bay coat, the stripe on her face was from her father who had been a chestnut. His father's horse was a Three Bars great grand son, he had gotten his coat color from his mother and his temper from his father, he would not let anyone but his father ride him, if anyone did attempt riding him he'd start bucking until the rider jumped off or was thrown off.

"So ol' Banjo's a-havin' a lil 'un as well," Four Way Shot said aloud. "ye a-keepin' him?"

"Dunno yet son," his father said. "still debatin' on that 'un."

"Hope ye do, pa!" Four Way Shot exclaimed. "hopin' fer a lil filly from her."

Before leaving the barn Four Way Shot remembered one time a year ago when Belle had been bred, she had acted very aggressive to the foal, his father had had to be removed from the stall. When it had been made clear the next morning that Belle wasn't going to accept the foal, his father had sold it off to the humans down the road who had lost a foal five days earlier. As far as he knew, the foal, a colt of chestnut color, had been gelded and was still considered untrainable.

"Maybe mah pa kin train the foal hisself," he said, thinking aloud. "an maybe he kin keep it."

A few days later he found out how wrong he was. Belle woke everyone up at three in the morning, screaming. His father had raced down the stairs, still dressing himself up, and he had tried to follow. He had been stopped at the barn's door by his uncle, Pinhead. Belle had been in labor for all of two hours, it had been four in the morning when the foal had been dropped to the floor of the barn. His father, he had found out by sneaking down the stairs and pressing his head against the wall, had been cleaning him when the mare had turned. Belle had ripped a good chunk of wood from his back and had nearly kicked the foal, if his father wouldn't have acted fast, the foal would have been badly hurt.

"Howdy, doc." his father said into the phone. "can ye come over, 'un o' mah mare's a-needs a shot."

Hearing the word shot made Four Way Shot nervous, he remembered the time when his father had administered a few to him when he was two. His mother had had to hold him tight, he had nearly kicked his father before the first shot could be given, all throughout the administering his mother had kept telling him that the shots where not going to hurt him, that they were going to make him healthier. After the third shot had been given and he had been released he had raced out of the house and hid under a wagon, he had not come out until his mother had saying that she was going to send his father out to find him if he didn't come in for supper.

"Nah, she ain't a-sick," his father said, sighing loudly. "I jus' need fer her to be calmed down so's I can get some milk from her."

He hadn't seen the foal, he had heard it was a male from his uncle but nothing further. He didn't know the coat color, if the foal was healthy, what his disposition was or if he was hurt. All he knew was that he was just two hours old and from what his father was saying to the vet, hadn't had any milk yet. Swallowing hard, he slowly and silently slipped out of the house, his father had his back turned towards the door, which was being held open by one of his boots, so he didn't know that he had gone out.

Being seven in the morning, it was still right chilly and dark out, wrapping his lower arms around himself and hugging himself tightly, trying to warm himself, he speed walked to the barn. When he got to the open door he stopped and looked back, it looked like everyone was still inside the house. Taking a deep breath in and holding it, he walked into the barn and down the aisle towards the stall that he believed held the foal. When he got to the door he peaked inside. The light inside the barn was just as bad as the light outside, he couldn't see much so he placed his hands on the door and pulled himself up, when he poked his full head into the stall he finally found the foal.

"Well hello thar," he said to the foal. "how's ye?"

The foal had been lying down on the straw, with his head down between his knees, when he had heard his voice he jerked his head up and tried getting up, only to fall flat on his side. The foal was a small one, looked skinny to him and that worried him. He wondered if all foals were like that, skinny and small. The mane of the foal wasn't like his mother's, it barely poked up from his neck, little wisps of it fell over the foals forehead. The tail of the foal was the same, very short and fluffy. He was so engulfed at looking at the foal that he barely noticed that the barn's lights were turned on.

"Son!"

Jumping off the stalls door and jumping to the side, Four Way Shot saw his father walk quickly towards him. The foal, he heard, made a sound, as did the hay. Behind his father was a vet, the vet that had always been called out to tend an animal of theirs that had been injured, he had seen a lot of this vet the past few months, he had walked in on his father and the vet tending to Belle a month and a half ago.

"I was jus' lookin' pa." he said, nearly in a whisper.

"Ain't nothin' wrong with lookin', son." his father said. "jus' ye don't touch."

"Yessah." Four Way Shot exclaimed, nearly laughing.

"Ye keep a-callin' me sah an' somethin's a-gonna happen young man." his father said, annoyed.

Four Way Shot giggled a little inside, he knew his father was only kidding around, he had called his father sir a bunch of times and every time his father had said that if he kept calling him sir something'd happen he wouldn't want to happen. Stepping out of the way of the stall, he allowed for his father and the vet to walk in, when the stall's door was closed he jumped back on it and looked in the stall, watching everything that happened. The foal jerked up then fell back down to the straw when his father touched his side, when his father helped him to his feet the foal pulled forward, as if he was trying to get away from him. The foal was a dark bay, so dark he was almost black, he had stockings on his back legs, when the foal picked up his left front leg he could see that he had a boot, from what he could tell the right front leg was bare, no marking. He still couldn't see the foal's face, so he didn't know if he had any markings there or not.

"The baby's full term," the vet was saying. "seems perfectly healthy."

"Is it fine to put him in with mah mare?" his father asked.

"The mother is the mare that's eye-balling us, right?" the vet asked.

"Shur is!" his father half-exclaimed.

"She seems interested in her foal," the vet said. "lets give it a go."

Jumping from the stall's door, letting his father and the vet have plenty of room to move the foal from the stall comfortably, Four Way Shot got his very first frontal view of the foal. The foal had an interrupted marking on his face, a stripe that looked to be broken in the middle. The foal's eyes were very bright, it looked like he was looking all over the place, trying to figure out where he was and what was going on. When his father and the vet got to Belle's stall, they stopped. His father went into the stall and gently pulled them mare to the door, when she saw her foal she lowered her head and began sniffing. When she started licking the foal his father opened the stall door and the vet walked the foal in. With the vet gently pushing the foal to the mare's underbelly, his father holding the halter rope in his hand, the stall was nothing but quiet. When the foal started making sucking noises, his father and the vet sighed loudly.

"You have a very healthy, full term filly on your hands here." the vet said fifteen minutes later. "mother and owner must be very proud."

"Filly?" Four Way Shot repeated aloud. "Ye mean the lil horse is a gal?"

"Like I said, son." his father responded. "I a-know mah hosses ver well."

"Keep your eyes on the mare beside Belle," the vet said. "she looks right restless today."

"Maybe she's a-nervous cause all o' us is in here?" Four Way Shot said. "I means, she ain't a-been here but four days an' jus' me an' mah pa's a-been in the barn since."

The vet nodded his head and smiled down at him, when he and his father walked off he could hear him say that boys his age were always saying that an animal who was about ready to have a baby would get nervous when there's more than three people in their living space. Blinking his eyes a few times, he turned around and walked towards his mare, Mae. When he looked into her stall he could see her legs shake a little, she looked tired and her belly seemed to be reaching for the floor of her stall. When she turned towards him, he could see in her eyes fear, nervousness and something more, it seemed like she was asking him what was going on. When she pushed her nose towards him, he rubbed it very gently. The mare nodded before walking off to her feed box, thinking she was telling him that she was hungry he jumped from the stall's door and walked to the small room that was to the left of the front doors of the barn. When he grabbed the scoop and was pushing it into the feed, a hard hand fell and clasped onto his shoulder.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, turd?" he heard.

"Gittin' some food fer mah mare." Four Way Shot said, swallowing a bit.

"Your mare?" his uncle chuckled. "Last time I heard, all the horses in this barn belong to your father."

"Mah pa done gave me a mare, uncle." Four Way Shot replied quickly.

"Did he now," his uncle said, squeezing his shoulder some. "obviously he forgot that you'll do the same thing that you did with the goats."

"That a-was an accident!" Four Way Shot exclaimed. "I a-didn't mean to leave the goat's fence open!"

"Sure you didn't." his uncle said.

When his uncle left the room Four Way Shot hung his head low. A few months ago he had fed the goats then had ran off to do something else, leaving the gate open. His father had been close, but not close enough to stop all of the goats from running out of the pen. It had taken nearly two hours for his father to wrangle up all of them, when he had placed the last goat, a female who was nearing maturity, in the pen he had turned and shouted for him. Stepping from the feed room, carrying the scoop with one of his hands, he walked down the aisle towards the mare that was looking at him from her stall. When he got to her stall he gently pulled her door open and slid in, closing it behind him. When he poured the grains into her feed box she very nearly knocked him down.

"Why don't ye a-make me into Squishie nex' time!" he laughed. "I gots to go now, but I a-will come back an' see ye a-gin soon."


	20. Chapter 20

At first he didn't know what was happening, he felt someone shaking his shoulder hard and he heard someone telling him to wake up and to get out of bed. Shaking his head, his mind unclear about what was happening, he felt himself being helped to his feet. His mother had sent him to bed early after she had discovered that he had had a slight fever, for some reason his father had told him to obey her, normally his father would have just sat up and said that he was fine. Bringing one of his hands up, he rubbed it over one of his eyes and yawned.

"Whut's a-goin' on?" he asked sleepily.

He barely heard what was said, he knew by teh tone of the voice that he was to hurry so he tried hard to pull his pants up. When he grabbed his shirt he felt a hand wrap around his arm and pull him. Blinking his eyes, they hadn't adjusted to the light outside his door yet, he allowed for himself to be dragged to the stairs. When he was picked up he nearly fell asleep. When he was placed down on the floor he blinked his eyes and shook his head, his senses were now waking up.

"Pa?" he said. "whut's a-goin' on?"

"Follow me," his father said. "an' quickly."

Pulling his shirt around himself and buttoning the buttons with his upper hands he grabbed his boots and hopped behind his father. He didn't bother tucking his shirt in, when he was done buttoning it he bent down, stopping for only a second, to pull the second boot on. When he looked up his father wasn't in the kitchen, the door was swinging so he headed towards it. Running as fast as he could to catch up to his father, he tripped on the top step and fell to the ground with a thud. When he looked up he saw that his father was running back to him, pushing himself up he limped to his side. His father wrapped his arms around him and picked him up. Yawning into his hand, he leaned his head against his father's shoulder and nearly fell back asleep.

"Hey, wake yer lil behind up!" he heard his father say. "Ye don't, yer a-gonna miss it."

His father had placed him down on a bale of hay, shaking his head again, clearing his vision as best as he could, he saw that he and his father were inside the foaling stall, looking around he saw that the hay basket that had been full of hay when he had left the stall for dinner was empty and that the straw and sheddings on the floor of the stall were all messed up. Moving his eyes to the center of the stall he saw his mare, Mae, was on her side, breathing heavily.

"Pa!" he exclaimed. "Whut's a-goin' on? Is she sick?"

Running to the side of his mare and falling to his knees, he could see in her eyes that she was scared. From the very tips of her ears to her mind quarters she was sweaty, it seemed that every single muscle she had was working, her stomach is what worried him the most. One of his hands was on her stomach, every few minutes the mares belly would jerk, like a muscle was working, pushing and relaxing then pushing again. Looking his mare over, he could still see the tail work his father had done before supper. He had walked in and had seen his father wrap the mares tail up tightly, he hadn't asked why he had done it.

"Ain't nothin' wrong," his father said. "at least, as far as I can see."

As if to prove his father wrong, Mae pulled herself up on her knees then fell down, she kicked her back legs out a few times then tried getting up again. Four Way Shot had been pulled away when she had pulled herself up, when she had fallen down his father had released him, he was back at her side smoothing all four of his hands over her, trying to comfort her. Mae's gold coat was so wet and it seemed that with every push and pull her belly made hurt her. Standing up, he turned around and saw that his father was holding a towel and a bucket full of stuff.

"Whut's that fer?" he asked.

"Fer the foal," his father said. "now ye stand back."

His father didn't wait for him to move out of the way, he picked him up and slid him behind him a bit too roughly, he fell hard on his rear in the straw and sheddings. Watching his father, he wondered what his father had meant when he had said for the foal. His father brought the towel over the mare, wiping the sweat from her body, for some reason he was on his knees at her flanks. The mare pulled her head up one more time, what came out of her mouth was a sound he had never heard come from a horse. Closing his eyes and shaking his head, he thought and told that he was dreaming. When he opened his eyes, he saw lying in the straw and shedding the forelegs and head of a baby horse. It seemed that both the mare and the foal had jerked up at the same time, the foal hit the side of the stall and whinnied loudly, he tried to get up but fell to its side with a thud, when the foal tried to get up, the mare tried getting up. His father stepped back fast when she snapped at him. Taking a slow step forward, he watched as the foal was pushed out all the way.

Even though the foal was still half in the sack and very wet he could tell that it was light colored, he would had walked towards it if his father wouldn't have grabbed his shoulder. Mae was lowering her head, her tongue was running over the foal, cleaning it. Hearing his father clear his throat he looked up, his father was walking towards the mare and her baby slowly.

"Well Mae, ol' gal," his father said. "lets see whut we got here."

Bringing a fresh towel over the foals body, his father very gently pulled the rest of the sack back. The mare flashed her teeth once at him, when she saw that he wasn't hurting her baby she lowered her head and nuzzled her foal gently, trying to encourage her baby to get up. The foal's coat was dark yellow, the mane was white and wispy as was the tail, on the face of the foal was a long white blaze that reached all the way down to his nose, it looked like someone had poured a glass of milk on the foal's face. Looking at the legs of the foal, he saw that the baby had three stockings and a sock. When he took a clumsy step forward, the mare's ears swept back.

"Don't ye make any sudden movements," his father said. "mah mare's ver nervous."

"Yer mare?" Four Way Shot repeated. "I a-thought this was mah mare."

"Wait fer me outside o' the stall please." his father said.

Four Way Shot did more than that, after his father told him to wait for him he ran out the stall and out the barn. He felt anger, he remembered that his father had said that the mare that had just foaled was his. The mare had been at his father's property for a little over a week, every day she had been in the barn he had been there, brushing her and talking to her, getting her use to him. Crossing one of his legs over the other, he sat down at the doors of the barn.

"Son?" he heard.

"Whut?" he said quickly.

"Come in with me please." his father said quickly. "ye an' me gots to talk."

The first thing that ran through his mind was that his father was going to make another promise then go back on it, following his father's shadow with his head down he very nearly walked into the porch banister. Shaking his head fast, he climbed up the stairs and opened the door to the kitchen. The house was quiet, he could hear a few of his uncles snoring upstairs and he could also hear the crickets outside. His father was at the stove, he was standing on a chair. Walking over to another chair, he pulled it out and sat on it. His father was placing a pot on the burner with his left top hand, it looked like he was holding a small bag in the other top hand.

"Pa?" he called.

"Yeah son," his father replied.

"Ye told me that Mae was mah mare..." he said, he was trying hard to keep his anger from showing in his voice.

"Yer name's on her papers son," his father replied. "so's mine."

He was confused after his father had said that both of their names were on the mares papers, he thought that a horse could only be owned by one person. Looking down, he saw that his shirt was a mess, it was untucked and three of the buttons had come undone. With his lower hands he rebuttoned the buttons and tucked his shirt in. Hearing his father jump from the chair, he looked up. In his two top hands were two glasses.

"Here, ye take one." his father said.

"Whut is it?" he asked.

"Ye'll know when ye take a drink." his father said with a wink.

Before sitting down across from him, his father placed a glass in front of him. The contents in the glass had a fizzy top, when he blowed into the glass the white fizz moved a bit to expose a brown and white liquid underneath. His father had already tilted his glass, had taken a long sip before setting it down in front of him, grasping the glass by the handle, he pulled it up to his lips and took a tiny sip. The contents in the glass was hot chocolate with extra marshmellows and creamer. Hearing the clock sound that it was the start of an hour he turned around, the hands on the clock by the fridge said that it was five in the morning.

"Ye'll be allowed to git a lil' more sleep than usual," his father said. "I a-promise ye that."

"About the horse..." Four Way Shot stopped in mid-sentence. "the lil foal yers too?"

"Nah," his father said. "the lil 'un is yers."

"Mahn?" Four Way Shot said, coughing a bit. "whut ye mean mahn?"

"I'm a-gonna tell ye straight son," his father said quickly. "I didn't buy that thar mare fer no reason, that colt she done birthed tonight I a-was after."

"How come pa?" Four Way Shot asked, shocked. "I mean, Mae done gots good blood in her an'..."

"Mae's a breedin' mare son," his father said. "she ain't ever felt a saddle on her back or a bit in her mouth, she jus' been used fer breedin'."

"Ye kin train her..." Four Way Shot said softly. "I know ye kin."

"A nice mare like Mae?" his father laughed. "naw, son. We done gots plenty o' ridin' hosses."

"So, ol' Mae's jus' gonna be used fer breedin' still?" Four Way Shot asked.

His father stood up slowly, he had finished his drink and was carrying it to the sink to wash the glass out. There was just a little bit left in his glass so Four Way Shot finished it quickly then slip from his chair. Walking up to his father's side, he pressed against him a bit and handed him his glass. His father grabbed it gently with one hand and wrapped the other two on the side he was pressed against around his body. When his father had finished rinsing his glass out he gently turned around, pulling him with him gently.

"I ain't a-likin' usin' hosses fer breedin' all o' the time," his father said to him. "but yes, ever so often I will breed ol' Mae."


	21. Chapter 21

Slowly and gently, he brought his hand over the small foals neck, the foal flinched a little but didn't pull away. The first day, every time he had placed his hand on the foal he had pulled away and squealed, Mae had nearly bit him a few times. Outside the barn he could hear his uncle yelling at his father, since the foal had been born his uncle had not left his father alone. Last night he had walked into the hallway after hearing his uncle roar, his uncle had shoved his father hard against the wall and had held him there, glaring at him. When his uncle had seen him staring he had released his father and walked past, if he wouldn't have moved a bit to the right he would have been pushed around.

"You're spoiling that little brat rotten!" his uncle was yelling.

"I done gave him a birthday present," his father said in defense. "that ain't spoilin', that's showin' mah love fer him."

"You brought home a pregnant mare three and a half weeks before his birthday who birthed a week and a half before his birthday and you just gave him the foal that night instead of waiting!" his uncle replied back. "that's spoiling to me."

"So whut was I s'pose to do?" his father exclaimed. "say to him that the foal was his but he a-couldn't have him yet? That thar's wrong, Brother!"

Slowly, he reached his hand up to the foals ears and gently patted him on the head. The foal nickered and turned his head around, his dark eyes looked into his brown ones for what seemed like a long time. Smiling brightly, Four Way Shot patted the colt on his nose, he rubbed his hand over it gently. When he took his hand away the foal tried catching it with his tongue.

"So what's going to happen on his birthday?" his uncle yelled. "You going to show up with nothing and just say that the foal was the only thing you could afford to give him?"

"Nah, I gots plenty o' stuff fer him," his father replied. "jus' ye wait."

"Damn I'm glad I don't have a kid," his uncle said, a hint of a chuckle under his breath. "nothing but trouble from the minute they are born."

"Not really..." his father started to say.

"Oh really," his uncle interrupted. "crying at all hours of the night, needin' their diapers to be changed, constant begging for shit that they don't need, hell man even your own son has emotional problems at his age!"

"He's a young 'un," his father defended. "all young 'uns his age cry an' all."

"All kids cry in the middle of the aisle near the candy when his parents say the word no?" his uncle questioned. "I don't think so, I haven't heard any human kid do that."

"When ye done has a keeeee..."

He knew why his father stopped saying the word kid, his uncle said he didn't like kids or want kids, he acted very mean and bossy around not only him but his younger half sister. One time when his sister had gone to the small general store down the road with her father, his uncle had tagged along, when they returned his sister had tear stains on her cheeks, during supper that night she had tried getting out of her vegettables, her father had said it had been fine but when she had jumped down his uncle had grabbed her and had plopped her back in her seat then had told her to finish them. His father and his uncle had had a lot of words between them about the way his father was raising him, his uncle said that his father was spoiling him too much, while his father said he wasn't.

"Yeah, you'd better not say that sentence fully," his uncle snarled.

Patting the foal on the nose, he turned around and exited the stall. The foal and his mother's stall was right by the door so it didn't take him long to reach the bright sunlight. Blinking his eyes, letting them adjust to the light, he remember what his father had said the day before when he had caught him releasing Belle and her newborn filly into a small paddock beside the barn. He had asked if it was safe for the foal to be let out so soon, his father had said that he had been keeping his eyes on the baby and had made the decision to let her and her mother out for a romp. The filly was trotting around and around the paddock, her mother following with her ears almost flattened to her head.

"I'm going for a walk," his uncle said. "tell whoever making supper to not wait up for me."

"Don't ye stay out fer long," his father yelled at his uncle's back. "thar's a storm a-comin'."

Looking up at the sky, he could tell that the weather was going to change fast. The sky was turning from blue to a dark greenish color, he could smell in the air rain and for some reason a lot of electricity. Closing then opening his eyes, he watched as a dark gray cloud floated in front of the sun, he thought he felt a rain drop on his cheek. Hearing his foal whinny behind him, he shook his head and walked on, if a storm was coming both his father would need to put the sheep, goats, cows and the horses inside their barns and he was sure he'd need some help in doing some of that.

"Pa?" he called. "Wait up fer me."

"If yer a-gonna help me out son," his father said. "hurry up, that storm's a-comin' fast."

His father wasn't kidding when he said that the storm was coming fast, before they had finished putting the goats in their barn a long white lightning bolt struck the tree on the side of the ranch, one of the branches had fallen and the ground had caught fire for a tiny second before going out. By the time they had the sheep in the barn with the goats it had started to get really windy and by the time they had put half of the cows in their barn it had started to rain. Before three, his father shook his head and said for him to go in where it was dry and safe.

"Ma," he said. "I's worryin' 'bout mah uncle."

"Which one hon?" his mother asked, she set a glass of milk in front of him.

"Torch," he said. "he done went off a-fore the storm started."

"Been wondering for a while were the Fireman went," his mother said. "did he say where he was going?"

"Nah, all he done said was that he a-was goin' out fer a walk."

His mother looked out the window for what seemd to be the longest time before going back to finishing the dishes. He heard her mumble that his uncle would be fine and that he'd be back before the storm got bad. For some reason the whole house got cold, he brought all four of his arms up and wrapped himself up. Turning around, he walked out of the kitchen to the living room where his sister was. He sat down on the couch and watched his sister. Slacia was sitting on the floor, in front of her were a few dolls, she was putting a purple dress on one of them. Sighing, he slid down from his seat on the couch and grabbed a doll, his sister looked up at him, shocked, then went back to fixing her doll, she was now bringing a brush over the dolls black hair.

It was five thirty before the first rain drops were heard, it drizzled for all of a minute before it started down pouring. His father and everyone else who had been outside ran inside soaking wet. There was still no news on his uncle, he was starting to get worried and he could tell that a few others were as well. He wondered where his uncle was, he wondered if his uncle was okay and he wondered if his uncle had somehow found a dry place to wait out the storm. His uncle liked lightning, he liked it a lot, especially when it struck a tree or bush and caught fire. Looking at the window, his father had pulled the curtain so that no one could look out of it but the lightning was so bright that it didn't matter. It seemed that once one lightning bolt ended another would take its place. Hearing his sister cry, he looked away from the window. Slacia had jumped and ran over to her father who had scooped her up onto his lap. A loud, and what seemed very close, thunder clap made him follow on her heels.

He had started walking before the storm had started its rumbling, now it was raining so hard and the lightning was so frequent that he had had to take refuge inside a hollow tree. It wasn't very good shelter, but it was something to keep the lightning from hitting him. He'd be right messed up if one of the bolts hit him, inside of him were wires and electrical circuits. Looking down he saw that his pants up to his knees were wet and he could feel water in his boots. Cursing, he stamped his foot and looked outside. The rain had slowed down some so he made the decision to move from his shelter to someplace else, there was a shed about fifty feet away from him that would be the perfect place to wait out the storm. Looking up at the sky, he watched for the next bolt of lightning. When it came he ran out of the tree towards the shed, it seemed that another bolt couldn't wait for the thunder clap that followed the last, a long blue bolt crashed down and zapped him on his back. Losing his footing, he slipped and fell down a hill to the rocky and grassy valley below where he lost consciousness.

The first thing he saw when his eyes decided to work was a deer, the animal was a few feet from him and had its head down to the ground. Growling, he tried pushing himself up. Something was wrong with his flamethrower arm, he could not use it at all, when he tried to use his other arm it hurt a lot. Clamping his bullets over his silvers, he pushed himself up to a seated position. Looking to the right, he surveyed his flamethrower arm. His flamethrower was a complete mess. The nozzle was bent badly, it looked like a can-opener had opened the top of his flamethrower, fluids were flowing badly from that arm. Still with his bullets clamped over his silvers, he removed his jacket and wrapped it around his flamethrower. Slowly he raised his legs up and with a loud and painful roar stood up. The deer looked up but didn't run away, at first he was curious about this then forgot about it. His left leg hurt just about as bad as his left arm, seeing a stick to the side of him he bent down and picked it up, leaning on it he took a few steps towards a path. He knew the valley well, he had come here a few times just to get away from things at home. There was a river that split the valley, on all four sides were bushes and trees, inside the bushes and trees there was nothing but green grass. There were very few places like this so he had kept its whereabouts to himself. Stopping long enough to catch his breath, he looked up and saw that the deer was still standing where he had first seen it, it's head was above the grass but he wasn't eating any of it, its eyes were on him.

"Yeah and what the hell are you looking at?" he snarled at the deer. "You act like you've never seen a being like me before."

The deer cocked his head to the side then lowered his snout to the ground, he could hear the animals teeth grind the grass it pulled up from the ground. He had seen this deer and a few others over the years, this one was a male but for some reason he had no horns. He had seen 2 other male deer and they had had large racks ontop of their heads, this one was different. The base color was light brown, much lighter than the other deer he had seen, and he had light white spots all over his coat. He had seen this deer for nearly two years now, it had never gotten the adult coat that other deer had and had never grown horns. Sighing, he took another step and this time he felt great pain shoot all the way up from his ankle to his hip. Falling to his knee, he yelled a cuss word then flopped to his side. He had never been in this much pain, not even when the kid in the movie he had been in many years ago struck him with the whip or when the actor in the same movie had clubbered him with a fire extinguisher.

Putting all of his weight on the leg that had not caused him pain he stood up and took a few tiny steps towards the trail. Looking to the the side, he saw that the deer had gone off a ways, it was now by the river. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned his attention to the trail. It felt like forever, but when he reached it and saw that it went to a bench he breathed out the air he was holding. He could sit on the bench for awhile, collect his thoughts and fully wrap his jacket around his flamethrower arm, it was trailing the ground behind him and it wasn't doing it's job of keeping his fluids from spewing out on the ground. Limping painfully, he reached the bench and sat down on it, when he did he heard the sound of a Hawk flap its wings.

"Ow! Shit how the hell did this happen to my flamethrower?" He exclaimed.

After unwrapping his jacket from his flamethrower he had discovered that he had some grass and rocks inside his flamethrower, he had spent five minutes slowly pulling the blades out and had gently tipped his flamethrower, the rocks had come out of the end. When he had started re-wrapping his flamethrower one of the buttons on his jacket had caught up against the opened top, it had been real painful to get it removed without further damaging his weapon. Sitting back, looking out the valley, he saw that he had a fluid trail from him to the spot he had been laying just a little while ago. Looking up a ways, he saw that there was a metal pipe jutting out from the hill. He guessed that he had fallen on that and that had peeled the top of his flamethrower open. He had pulled his pants legs up, the leg that was giving him a lot of trouble was badly scratched and cut and he had twisted his ankle badly. He had removed his shirt and had wrapped it around his leg tightly. He stayed sitting on the bench for at least fifteen minutes before pulling himself upright, he grabbed the stick and slowly standing up, every muscle in his body hurt. Turning towards the front of the trail, he started for home. With every step he thought he had heard what he thought was the call of a Vulture in the distance. When he was a few feet from the bench he stopped, he didn't know why but he turned around and headed east, towards the sound. It seemed like the Vulture cry was pulling himself towards a low lying bush. Sighing to himself, he stop fighting himself and walked towards the bush, a few minutes of looking and then he'd be heading for home he thought. It seemed forever before he reached the bush, when he did reach it he thought he'd just turn around and head away from it. Instead, he found himself pulling the leaves to the side and looking down to the ground. What met his eyes looked to be a very messy infant. An infant of dark complexion with red and silver bullets, silver lower teeth and a flamethrower for a right arm.


	22. Chapter 22

"Six Shooter can you go out and find Torch please!" his mother exclaimed. "It's been hours since he went out and we haven't heard or seen him since."

"I's shur he's fine darlin'," his father said. "but yeah, I'll a-go an' find him."

It had stormed for nearly two hours, there were a lot of tree limbs out in the yard and the puddles looked like they'd be fun to jump on, instead he found himself still stuck inside the house. His mother had made it clear to not only him but his sister that they were to stay inside the house for the rest of the day. He had thought about sneaking out, but his father was already a step ahead of him. He had said that once he was out for his mother to make sure the latch was secure so no one could get out. His sister was back playing with her dolls, all he was doing was sitting on the couch flicking the channels from one station to the next, bored.

"I'll a-find him, Angel," his father said. "ye watch the young un's fer me."

"Oh like I don't do that every day." his mother laughed.

Upon hearing the door swing shut and the latch fall into place in its cradle, he slumped to his back on the couch. He figured that this was the best time to take a nap, he wasn't tired but he thought it would be a good way of passing the time away. Letting himself fall to his elbows on the couch, he grabbed his hat with one of his free hats and pulled it over his face. The last thing he heard was his mother swinging the gate that his father had bought when he was a baby into place. It was to keep him and his sister from entering the kitchen.

It was not easy leaning against a stick with one arm and carrying a small bundle in another, his flamethrower felt like it wanted to fall off, it hurt that bad. All of the muscles in his body ached, he had fallen to his knee a few times then had gotten up quickly when the bundle had started whining. At first when he had seen the baby he had turned away, he had taken one step from it then had turned back. He had knelt down, removed the shirt that was around his leg and had wrapped the baby up in it, he had just taken one look at the baby then had wrapped it up. It felt like forever that he had been limping home, he had brought a watch with him but somehow he had lost it. By judging the way the sky looked, it looked to be almost 6, the sun would be setting in almost an hour. He did not know how far he was from home, he had been walking for what seemed to him a long time, all he knew was that he was close. There was a post that had three signs on it saying that down one trail was The Beach, down another trail would take you to a playground and another pointed towards the home. The post was a little less than half way to the house. Stopping for a minute, removing his hand from the stick, he wiped his head and breathed heavily for a few minutes, the infant coughed a few times.

"Get you home and get you out of my hair," he hissed to the infant. "I have no idea where the hell you came from, but all I want is to get home and get you out of my hair, one of the girlies will take care of ya I'm sure."

From all that he had seen, the baby was really messy, it was covered in his fluids and he guessed a lot of mud. He did not know the gender of the baby, he hadn't checked, all he had done was half pick it up and put it in his shirt. He had made sure to wrap it up good so he wouldn't fall out and onto the ground. Taking another long breath, he leaned against the stick and started walking again. He could see that the trail ended up ahead, he could see light and was hoping that it opened up to the house, he had planned that once he saw the house he'd start yelling out for someone to come out and help him before he had found the infant, now he planned on using the last of his roar for the job, he was sure he'd be heard, his roar was rather loud, it was hard to not miss.

"Found Torch yet?" Leech Woman asked.

"Not yet," Six Shooter sighed. "I'mma guessin' he's a-hol'd up somewhar or somethin'."

"For some reason," Leech Woman said, almost to herself. "I keep finding myself look towards that trail."

"Ye know," Six Shooter spoke up sharply. "I a-been findin' mahself doin' the same."

"Guess we're hoping he'll come walking up that trail perfectly fine eh." Leech Woman laughed.

"Purdy muh..." Six Shooter started then stopped.

Hobbling to the end of the trail, he stopped short and gawked at the two figures in front of him. His vision was not very good so he couldn't make out who they were. Taking a few seconds out to take a breather, he started again and tried to roar. He found himself unable to do so so he just walked towards the two figures. When he was fifty feet from them he collapsed, exhausted. The infant, he saw, slid from his arm to about twelve inches from him. The two figures ran towards him, he could hear them yelling but couldn't make out what all they were saying. One minute, he was able to see and hear, the next he was out cold.

"Everyone hush," he heard. "he's waking."

Turning his head from side to side, feeling one eye flicker on and off, he was able to regain vision in only that eye. He saw from that eye that everyone was hovered over him, he could feel under him something soft and gentle and there was something cold and wet on his head. He could hear on only one side of his head, the other was silent. Shaking his head and moaning, he tried rolling over but felt a pair of hands hold him down. Turning his attention up, he followed the pair of hands and saw that they belonged to his motherly role model, Leech Woman.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"Got caught up in the storm," he replied. "everything after that is a bit fuzzy."

"We called a few technicians, our caretakers are saying your flamethrower needs a complete re-over." Leech Woman said. "and by looks of it, I believe them."

"Where'd the kid come from?"

He didn't know who had said it, and he really didn't care, once he heard the word kid he sat up straight and started looking around. He remembered falling and he remembered the infant he was carrying sliding from his flamethrower arm to the ground, he had not meant to fall, his muscles had given out on him. Feeling Leech Woman's hand on his shoulder, he allowed for her to push him gently back to the furniture that he was on. Sighing, he turned his head and saw that he was in one of the spare rooms, the bed he was on was very hardly used.

"Your guess is as good as mine is man." he sighed.

"Ye go out an' git a gal preggers or somethin'?" Six Shooter joked.

"Fuck you Turd, no I did not." he said loud, his chest hurt him so he started coughing. "I found the brat in a bush."

"In a bush?" Blade laughed. "Nice place for a delivery."

"You have no idea where he came from?" Leech Woman asked.

"I heard something that sounded like a Vulture, followed it and found it in a bush." he growled.

"Him." he heard.

He really didn't care what gender the baby was, all he wanted was for everyone to leave the room, he wanted some piece and quiet. Turning his head to the side, he saw a technician at the door, it looked like he was about to knock to let everyone know he was there. He motioned towards the human, when everyone saw him the room went from being crowded to almost empty. The technician along with two helpers walked into the room, the last one was slowly closing the door behind him.

"Someone watch after the brat," he yelled at the door. "I sure as well won't."


	23. Chapter 23

"Ma...makin I see!" Four Way Shot exclaimed. "Kin I see mah bro?"

"Just a minute hon," I replied. "let me get a diaper on him."

Torch had been home for less than three hours and I had been placed to foster the child that he had brought home. My son was jumping up and down, asking if he could see the infant, a few times he had grabbed my pants and had pulled down hard, I nearly had dropped the baby. The infant was small, smaller than Four Way Shot and Slacia both when they were newborns. I did not know who the maternal was, all I knew was that the baby looked dead identical to Torch. He was a deep dark red in color with red and silver bullets for upper teeth and silver for lower teeth, he'd open and close his mouth from time to time like he was gulping in air. The arm was what got me. For a right arm, just like his father, he had a flamethrower. It was soft to the touch, I had only placed my hand on it once and had noticed that. I hoped that when he got older it'd harden up so he could use it like his father. The baby wasn't as squirmy as my son was at his age, Slacia had only been a little squirmy, this one was almost motionless. It worried me, it worried me that he was so still.

"Four Way!" I exclaimed. "Stop pulling my leg, please go sit down!"

Alright ma." my son said sadly.

I hadn't meant for it to come out so harshly, I didn't want my son to be jumping all over the place and all over me as I was holding a baby, I had barely been able to hold Slacia when she was the new baby's age and I hadn't had any of the problems that I was having now with her. Picking the baby up, having diapered him, I walked towards my son and sat beside him. Placing my hand on his head, I gently patted him. He turned and hugged me, sliding my hand from his head to his back I hugged him gently. The infant in my other arm hiccuped, sniffled once then started crying.

"He'll need a few re-workings of the wires and metal parts inside of him," I heard the technician say. " it'll be a few months before he's right as rain again."

"Is he awake?" I heard Leech Woman ask the technician.

"He is yes," the technician replied. "he's tired but awake."

Hearing that the infant's father was awake, I stood up and walked around the couch and up the stairs. My son followed me up the stairs, when he saw that I was heading for the room where his uncle and the baby's father was resting he stopped, when I turned around I saw that he was headed back down the stairs. Smiling a little, I turned around and heading for the room. When I reached the door I knocked on it gently, three times. The infant in my arm was sniffling still, but he had stopped crying. The baby had a high cry, a piercing cry, I had almost had to clamp my hands over my ears it had been that loud! My son, when he had been a baby and when he had cried hadn't cried this loud, neither had Slacia.

"Who is it?" Torch yelled.

"It's Angel," I said. "can I come in?"

"Make it quick girlie." Torch said.

When I opened the room I gently moved the baby from one arm to the next, Torch saw it and sat up straighter. I could tell that he was not happy that I had brought the baby with me. Stopping for only a minute, I swallowed deeply then cleared my throat. When I was finished I took the few remaining steps to the bed, when I sat on the edge Torch crossed his one arm over his waist, I could tell that he had one of his eyes on me and the other on the infant. One of his eyes had been cracked badly, it looked like one the technicians had replaced the cracked eye with a new one, it was lit up nicely, as was the other one. His flamethrower was not attached to his body, it was on a hook on the dresser, the open part had been pulled down but I could tell that it would need to be completely redone.

"I don't suppose you want to hold him." I said to the bright eyed man in front of me.

"I might consider holding him here in a few." he replied.

I was shocked, I had expected him to say no but instead he said he would consider it. Fifteen minutes after the technicians had entered the room he was in Blade had pocked his head in and had told Torch quickly that the baby was a male. From what I heard Torch had just made a sound then had leaned back against his pillow. Hearing the infant cough, again, I looked down. The baby's eyes were lit and he was looking at his father with keen interest. Looking at Torch, I saw that he was doing the same.

"You want to name him?" I asked the Fireman.

"I've been sitting here for some time thinking up a name for the kid," Torch replied. "I think I found one that'll suit him well."

"You do know he has, what looks to be, a lightning bolt on his shoulder right?" I asked.

I had discovered a marking on the infants left shoulder that looked like a lightning bolt, it looked right beautiful against the baby's complexion, was light red in color. Gently bouncing the baby up and down, one eye on his father, I smiled at the baby. Like his father, he was a Leo. His father had brought him home August the third, Torch had brought him home just before seven and he had gone out at one and the storm had started at nearly two so the baby had had to of been born at either three or four in the afternoon. Hearing Torch clear his throat, I looked up quickly.

"Well, seeing as he looks like me I think he needs a fire name," Torch mumbled. "I'm thinking Arson would suit him well."

"Arson?" I said aloud. "Sounds perfect for the son of Torch."

"Honestly after hearing about that marking on his shoulder I was going to name him Lightning Bolt but the dog down the street calls claims to that name." Torch joked.

"Shall we nickname him that?" I asked. "Lightning Bolt?"

"Hell no!" Torch exclaimed. " It's Arson and nothing more or less!"

"Okay okay!" I laughed. "Arson's a nice name..."

"Hand him over," Torch said. "I'm getting sleepy so it's best I hold him now before I fall asleep."

Smiling slightly, I slowly handed the small infant to Torch. The infant slid from my arm to his quickly, he would have slid to the bed sheets if Torch wouldn't have placed his hand over the baby's leg. Torch and the baby looked at each other for the longest time, it grew very quiet in the room. I looked at the clock, going by it I noticed that Torch had been holding his son for fifteen minutes. I didn't want to do it, my throat was itchy and raw, taking a breath I ended the silence by clearing my throat.

"Right nice looking kid here," he said. "don't suppose you could mother him for awhile until I'm on my feet."

Course I can mother him," I replied. "I'll mother him as long as you want me to."

"I'll let you mother him on one condition," Torch sighed. " you be good to him, none of that bad mother crap."

"You and I both know I'd treat him like he's a Prince." I exclaimed. "I'll treat him the same way I treat Four Way."

"Good good," Torch said, a full minute went past before he started waving his hand. " you may take him now, I need my rest."

"I think he needs a rest as well," I said, slowly scooping the infant up. " want me to bring you up anything? Ice Cream or..."

"Maybe later girlie," Torch said. "take the child, when I wake up I expect to see him again."

"You'll see him plenty," I replied. "Torchie."

It seemed that once I stood up from the bed Torch started snoring, smiling gently I turned from the bed and walked out of the room. The crib that my son and Slacia had slept in when they were babies was still built, after Slacia had grown big enough to not need the crib it had been moved from her room, a real bed had been put in its place. The crib had been put in a red painted room that had a dark orange carpet, I was sure Torch wanted his son to sleep in that room. The room would suit his son well, it was big enough for one maybe two babies. The room was two doors from mine and Six Shooter's, three from Torch's and four from Four Way Shot's. Hearing the baby in my arms giggle, I looked down at him.

"You'll do well," I said to the baby. "Arson."


End file.
